BitterSweet Pain
by Cithara
Summary: [HPDM slash and a separate studentteacher relationship] It's the boys' 7th year [AU now due to HBP], and things are about to change for more than one person in more ways than one. If they're going to survive, they'll need each other.
1. Prologue

**Full summary: An ancient prophecy, secrets to be unveiled and relationships being formed anew. This year things are about to change for more than one person, in more ways than one. Just to warn you now, this will be Harry/Draco and will involve a student/teacher relationship. Don't like, don't read!**

**Disclaimer: If I really owned it do you seriously think I'd be writing fanfiction about it? Exactly, now run along and sue someone else.**

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Life was cruel. That was the conclusion one 17 year old boy had reached throughout the summer as his own life continued in its downward spiral until he was sure he wouldn't be able to drag himself back up again. Life gave, allowed you to enjoy for a short while, then snatched away before you could even catch your breath. He was tempted to whine and scream the age-old truth "it isn't fair" and smash anything, everything in sight, but the rational part of his brain that still existed, reasoned it would do no good. It wouldn't numb the pain, it wouldn't ease the dull ache in the pit of his heart, it wouldn't quell the feelings that were threatening to overwhelm him, and it wouldn't bring Sirius back. Nothing could do that and nothing could pull him back from the edge of the great precipice he was poised on and very nearly disappearing into.

He tore his eyes away from his reflection in the mirror, barely recognising the boy staring back at him. His eyes were dull and lifeless, his skin pale and his clothes hanging off his now painfully thin frame. What little food he attempted to eat didn't stay down very long, not that he saw much point in eating these days. His sleep was fitful, plagued with nightmares of Sirius passing through the Veil, or of Voldemort's return. He was frightened to close his eyes lest he find himself staring into Sirius's accusing, black ones; frightened of the images, memories, that would come to haunt him, torment him. It had been a year, he was supposed to have readjusted, to become accustomed to the grief and to have dealt with it all, but that was so much easier said than done. All around him was death, even in the deepest folds of sleep; he couldn't escape it, it was pulling him down, engulfing him in heavy oppressiveness, determined to break him. Only trouble was, it was beginning to succeed.

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Life was cruel. That was the opinion that was beginning to form for one 17-year-old boy as the summer came to an end. To say he was confused would have been an insult, to say he was angry would have been an understatement and to say he was beginning to re-evaluate all he had ever known, wouldn't even begin to cover it. There were no words, and he had tried to find them plenty of times to know that. Things weren't supposed to be this way; he wasn't meant to be sitting up in his room listening to his mother sob in the room next door, whilst all the time digging his fingernails into the flesh of his palms to stop his own tears from falling. He wouldn't cry, he had made that promise when all this began; he would keep his pride and his dignity if nothing else, he wouldn't allow them the satisfaction of seeing they'd broken him, even if they succeeded.

He slowly released the tension in his fingers and ceased them from digging into his flesh. His palm had four half-moon scars, each allowing a thin line of blood to seep out and trickle over his hand and down his wrist. In the end, that was what it came down to; blood. That was the reason his life was heading in the direction it was, and him powerless to stop it. The blood that coursed through his veins gave him his identity, placed him in the house he now was, gave him the surname he carried and shaped the reputation he was associated with. Up until a few months ago that was fine; he was proud of it, willing to adopt the life that was being laid out for him. Now, everything had changed, irrevocably so. He steeled himself, neatening his blond hair, which had become unhealthily limp, and prepared himself to go and offer comfort to his mother, now he was sure his father had left the house. He stopped momentarily to wipe the blood away; it wouldn't do to make a mess.

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Life was cruel. That was the realisation that was dawning in one 16 year old girl's mind as she sat staring into the distance, the goings-on around her not even registering. Why should she bother to acknowledge what went on? She was invisible to it, to everyone; she could start screaming until her lungs burst and it wouldn't make the slightest bit of difference. Not that she would do that anyway, the notion was somewhat ridiculous she thought as she sat musing on how life had changed her. It had been subtle; she'd give it that, she hadn't really started to notice until the end of her fourth year. Any naivety or innocence that might once have existed in her had been banished, dismissed as folly and useless nonsense. She no longer trusted people, she no longer took things at face value; she couldn't afford to. She wore a mask; the likes of which she was sure even Draco Malfoy would have difficultly rivalling. It was her security, her assurance that she wouldn't be hurt, her weaknesses wouldn't be exposed, rendering her vulnerable to attack. It was what kept her alive.

But that didn't mean she didn't feel; it was only on the outside she was cold. She still loved, and _was_ loved thankfully, she still hated, she still burned; she just didn't show it. She'd exposed herself once before and what did it get her? Memories. Nightmares. She wasn't prepared to do that again, especially not when she was still battling with ghosts. And so she existed, living one day to the next, just trying to survive and pull herself through. It wasn't easy, she didn't expect it to be, but she wished she could be given something, shown something, that would make her believe it was all worth something. Anything that proved she wasn't fighting a losing battle.

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Life was cruel. That was the decision that had been reached many years ago by the Potions Master of Hogwarts and was now being evaluated as he sat in his quarters staring blankly into the fireplace that never accommodated a fire. He knew the Game, he was an experienced player, he knew the rules, the loopholes, the injustices, the hardships, the politics of it all; but knowledge didn't make it any easier. Knowledge and acceptance of the way of the Game didn't stop the turmoil of his feelings, didn't help him sleep at night and didn't stop him crying out in anger and frustration at the impolitic cruelty of it all. He had been forced into this existence, given no choice in the matter; the bitterness he felt at the whole situation was overwhelming. But it was his duty, he knew that. In his youth he had rebelled against it, tried to break free of the chains that held him, but instead he broke himself and had to return to the Old Ways, back to his duty. He had been a fool to think he could ever escape it.

But these things had a price, didn't everything? He had to lose what he loved, had to lose all the things that might once have made his life worth something. He had to endure that pain every day and even inflict more on himself, denying any chance to claim what was rightfully his. But it was hard, so very hard. So many times he had had the opportunity to change things, all it would have taken was a word, a gesture. But he couldn't be that selfish, he couldn't let his own wants and desires get in the way of something greater, something that could possibly save them all. He was used to pushing his own feelings aside, there were always things more important that himself, but what had been asked of him was a heavy burden to carry; one which he was beginning to struggle with. Fate was a cruel Mistress and one who had dealt him a rough hand; divided him from what happiness he might have had, stolen the life he might once have been able to live. It wasn't fair; but then, what was?

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Four souls sat separate from each other, mercifully oblivious to the changes Fate was making all around them, oblivious to the fact that their destinies were now becoming irrevocably intertwined. All were unaware that the wheels had been set in motion that were about to completely reshape their lives and restructure their whole futures.


	2. The Wakeful Anguish of the Soul

**AN: Ok as you can see, I've changed the summary for this, so now I'm going to give bit more away. This fic will contain slash and a student/teacher relationship as well as non-controversial pairings. For those of you who are familiar with the Severitus challenge, this was in some ways influenced by, but not in response to that, but with quite a twist. **

**Big thanks to XxRoGuExHeArTxX (yes I am an unashamed story pimp!), embry81788 and shinoa Yuuki, you guys all rock!**

**Also, I'm looking for a BETA reader, so if anyone would like the job, please drop me an email or say so in the review (HINT: leave a review!) All comments are welcome, but please try and criticise constructively rather than outright flame. Anyways, hope you enjoy!**

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His return to Hogwarts for his 7th and final year was not what Harry had expected. Every other year had provided him with the feeling of returning home, of returning to the place where he felt he most belonged. This time he was offered no such comfort. Walking through the halls didn't give him the same twinge of nostalgia he normally felt, sitting in the Great Hall watching the Sorting Ceremony didn't make him smile at the frightened looks on the 1st year's faces as they embarked on the next seven years of their lives, and Ron and Hermione's careful conversations didn't warm the chill that seemed to be permanently settled within him. He was numb to it all, numb to everything that was going on around him, it just didn't seem to matter anymore. Nothing could reach him.

He appreciated his friends' caring treatment of him; they were still being sensitive to his grief, as they had been when he came back in 6th year, but then they were nursing their own and they could help each other. Now, although he knew he had to pull himself back from the brink he was teetering on, he couldn't shake himself back to life he once knew. It seemed nothing could touch him; nothing could fill the empty space. A part of him was missing, and he wasn't entirely sure that was only due to Sirius's death. He'd been feeling…hollow for some time now, even before his godfather had disappeared from his life. It felt like there was a void, one that desperately needed to be filled, but he didn't know what he could possibly do to rid himself of the feeling. He didn't know what he could do to feel whole again.

"….don't you think so Harry?" he heard Ron's voice somewhere to the left of him.

"What? Sorry mate, what did you say?" he asked, turning to face his friend, hating the worried look he saw reflected back at him.

"I was just saying that we'll have to go and see what Hermione's Head Girl rooms are like, see if they're any better than the prefects' quarters," He patiently repeated.

Harry nodded his agreement, and allowed his eyes to sweep over the Great Hall, taking in faces both new and familiar. It was something of a comfort to see Lupin up at the teacher's table who had been reinstated halfway through Harry's 6th year, even though Harry was carefully avoiding eye contact with him at that point. He had seen the looks he had been shooting him, the appraising glances and the worried stares, but he couldn't bring himself to look back. It would only bring questions and he had plenty of his own without dealing with anyone else's.

"No one would mind if you slipped away now you know," He heard Ginny's voice from his right. "Go on, you look shattered, go and get some sleep, and I mean sleep, don't just lie there staring at the ceiling," She said softly as he turned to look at her.

"I should stay till the end," He replied tiredly.

"There's no rule you know," She said with a laugh. "Go on, I'll cover for you."

"Don't know what I'd do without you Gin," he said giving her a quick peck on the cheek as he discreetly left the table and made his way up to his room. He'd been made a prefect in his 6th year, which warranted his own room, something for which he was profoundly grateful.

"Lupin, Lupin we've got to go."

"Sorry Severus what did you say?" asked Remus, turning to face the Potions Master, removing his gaze from the pale, thin boy who was moving like a wraith from the Great Hall, eyes down and shoulders slumped.

"We have to go to, Dumbledore wants to speak to us."

"Oh, of course," he replied, standing and following Snape through the back corridor out of the Great Hall and to the Headmaster's study. The gargoyle had already been moved aside so the two men made the ascent in silence and settled themselves in the warm, welcoming room. Severus was on edge; that was plain to see. Of course it was common knowledge that the return of the students never exactly thrilled him, but this year was different; this was the year everything was about to change.

"Have you…have you given it much thought?" Lupin asked carefully.

"What do you think?" he replied tersely. "It's all I've thought about." He added, getting up abruptly from the chair he had only just settled in. "How the hell am I going to do it Lupin? How the hell am I supposed to do this?" he asked in sheer frustration and confusion. He had been struggling for the whole summer with that particular question, and as yet he hadn't found any answers.

"I don't know Severus, I really don't. Nobody pretends this will be easy, there's no possible way it will be. We can only hope that he understands."

"He isn't likely to though is he? Would you?"

"I'm not in the position Severus, I couldn't possibly say. You have to tell him, there's no possible way around that." Lupin said gently.

"Of course I have to tell him!" he snapped, his voice rising. "Don't you think I've wanted to tell him every day since the first? Don't you think every single time I see him I don't want to scream the truth, I don't want to yell at how unfair it all is?" his voice starting to break slightly as raw emotion set in, and he didn't care if he allowing himself to show it; he'd kept it all so tightly inside for so long, it was a release in a way to be able to let at least some of it out.

"Well now you can," Lupin responded calmly.

"That's just the thing," Snape breathed exasperatedly. "Now that I can finally tell him everything without having the Elders cursing me to all Oblivion, I haven't a clue how to," he finished quietly. He'd gone over it so many times in his head, imagined all the ways the conversation could happen, and all of them hadn't been nearly adequate enough.

"When the time comes, so will the words," came a voice from the corner of the room and both men turned to see Albus Dumbledore standing smiling at them. "I understand this is difficult, but he must be told and you are the only one who can do that," said the old man as he took a seat at his desk, peering over his spectacles at the two men before him. Both looked worn and tired, ravaged by the cruelties of time and life, simply struggling to make it from one day to the next. "He is approaching his 18th year, I recommend the New Year, he will need time to adjust to the idea."

"We all will I think," said Lupin with a smile.

"Eighteen years I've waited," said Snape, as if he was quietly pondering the idea. "And now…now I just don't know."

"You can't go on pretending forever, Severus. This life you've been living doesn't belong to you, it isn't the one that was meant for you. Fate sent you in the wrong direction; it's time you took control again."

"How very poetical, Lupin," Snape said, rolling his eyes. "But you're right; I've lived a lie for too long, it's time to reclaim what's mine."

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Draco Malfoy sat in his room later that night, blessing the heavens he had his own prefect's room. It had been such a relief to escape the crowds of the Great Hall and the Serpent's Den, otherwise know as the Slytherin common room. They had been back for one evening and already the politics had started, already the knives were being sharpened, ready to be plunged into unsuspecting backs. It was suffocating, oppressive, and if you weren't on the alert, it could be the signature of your death warrant. He'd known this would be the worse year yet; his uncertainty upon his return had rendered him vulnerable, open, meaning he had to be even more on his guard than was normal. The mask had to be firmly in place, he couldn't afford to let it slip, not even a fraction. This, however, was harder that he had originally anticipated.

Whilst he concluded it was far better to be at school, miles away from home, his mind was in such turmoil, he was finding it difficult to return to the Slytherin way of life. He was torn in so many different directions, he was afraid he would be ripped into pieces. He had contemplated the idea of seeking help from someone, but all the names that came to mind he hastily dismissed. There was no one who would understand his position and certainly no one who would hold out a helping hand. He was alone, the decision was his alone to make and this life he was leading was one of isolation. From now on, it was just him.

"Draco, are you going to at least put in an appearance?" asked Blaise as he sauntered in, settling himself on the bed.

"Blaise, the door is there for a reason. When it's closed, that usually means piss off." Draco drawled in return, glancing over at the boy whose midnight-black hair was falling over his even darker eyes.

"People are going to start talking if you lock yourself away in here. How do you think it looks – a Malfoy hiding away in his room?" he asked, folding his arms over his chest and observing the blond.

"I don't care, I'm tired and not in the mood for playing nice with the Serpents." He replied, turning his gaze back to the black of night through the window.

"Something on your mind?" he asked casually, his tone inviting confidence but not demanding it. But Draco was not yet ready to pour out his thoughts to anyone, least of all a fellow Slytherin. Whilst Blaise was certainly one of the more worthy of the house, one to whom no rules applied, he wasn't sure whether he could be fully trusted.

"Nothing for _you_ to worry about." He replied.

"Well if you're going to be like that I don't suppose anything I say will matter. But you should go and show your face, even if it's only for a few minutes, you'll regret it if you don't," said Blaise, getting up to leave. "Oh and my summer was fine, thanks for asking."

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Ginny stayed until just before the feast was about to end; she didn't want to be caught up in the mad rush of students as they headed to the house towers to enjoy their first night back. She needed some time to herself, time to put herself in the right mind set for being back. But first, she was going to check on Harry. She knew he wouldn't be sleeping, despite her earlier orders. She made her way up to the Gryffindor tower and then down the corridor that led to Harry's room. Knocking softly, she whispered the password to the discreet statue off to the side and let herself in. He was sitting on the windowsill, legs folded beneath him, staring up at the night sky, a distant look in his eyes. She allowed herself a soft smile as she took a seat beside him and gently rested her head on his shoulder.

It had been during her fifth year when she began to view Harry differently. Up until then he had been some sort of hero figure, a distant object she could moon over and idolise. But as she slowly got to know the boy underneath, she found he was just that – a boy, like any other, just trying to find his way. From then on her crush subsided into friendship, which then developed into a love of a different kind, the same kind she felt for her brother and the rest of her family. And that was what Harry was – family and she cared deeply for him, and it hurt her to see him in the state he was now, spiralling downward, unable to pull himself back up.

"You didn't miss much," she told him. "The same as every other year. I know this is a stupid question, but did you manage to get any sleep?" she asked.

"No," he replied quietly. "I was going to, but…I don't know I guess I just didn't feel like it."

"Harry, you're going to do yourself some serious damage if you carry on this way. You don't eat, you don't sleep, you barely say two words together anymore and I don't remember the last time I saw you smile," she said, raising her head to look him directly in the eyes. Harry was the one person with whom she could safely remove the mask, the one person she could really trust, he deserved that at least.

"I'm fine, Gin."

"Bullshit," she replied softly. "I'm not having a go, I'm just worried. I love you very much Mr Potter and I really, really don't want to see you do this to yourself," she said with a small, sad smile. "I can't pretend to understand what it is you're going through, but I can listen, I can be there when no one else is. Don't forget you have a lot of people who love you, don't lose sight of that, it's what keeps us all going."

"You're a good friend," he said after a moment's silence, as if he had been carefully contemplating his words. "There's something missing, Gin. Don't ask me what it is, I just know there's something missing, something wrong and until I find it, nothing will be right. I just don't know what to do with all these feelings, they're too much," he said quietly, as if those feelings were threatening to overpower him as he spoke.

"Well, you're never going to find what's missing if you keep yourself shut away from everything, barely even existing. You have to come back to us Harry."

"Easier said than done. And you're a fine one to lecture me," he said with the ghost of a smile. "You shut yourself away from everything, maybe not physically, but mentally, emotionally. _You_ changed too, don't think I didn't notice."

"Maybe we both need some help with this life thing. I'm not ready to believe we're hopeless causes just yet. Anyway, I'd better go, or we'll become the topic of this week's gossip. Remember, you're not alone, not by a long shot."

"Thank you," he said, placing an affectionate kiss on her forehead. "We might make it yet."

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The first few weeks were ones of little excitement with people re-adjusting to school life once again and catching up on the summer news. Ginny distanced herself from it; she had no interest in who was now going out with whom, or what the latest cut of robe was; she had other things on her mind. She had noticed she wasn't the only one who had removed themselves from their peers. Harry was still keeping himself introverted, though he was livening up slightly around Ron and Hermione, which was something of a comfort. As he had said to her, she wasn't exactly the best person to lecture him on integrating himself with the others; she kept mostly away from the throng of people, but then, she didn't have the appearance of a ghoul. She only removed herself because she wasn't interested in those around her; she didn't quite fit. But with Harry, there was far more to it than that, something that went much deeper.

Within the past year or so she had felt herself grow very close to the raven-haired boy and she could help but worry for him. She had watched him deteriorate from the lively, hopeful boy he once was to this quiet, lethargic young man whose appearance was beginning to resemble that of Remus Lupin's after a full moon. She knew he had had to carry far too much on his young shoulders though his short life, and it was beginning to weigh him down. But all she could do was be there, try and catch him when he fell; but she couldn't stop him from falling; she wasn't sure who could. On top of this she had also had exams to contend with, which was the reason why she found herself lingering behind at the end of Potions, trying to catch a word with her Professor.

"Professor? Could I speak with you a moment?" she asked, stepping forward.

"Make it quick," he returned shortly.

"I intend to," she replied. She wasn't afraid of Snape; she had learned a long time ago that there were more things in this world to lend her fear to, without using it all on Snape. She respected rather than feared him, allowing her to deal with him more easily than her contemporaries. He raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, looking at her levelly. "With exams this year I feel I need an extra boost to ensure I get the best grades I'm capable of, so I was wondering if it would be possible to arrange some tutoring sessions."

"Do you really feel that's necessary? You are, shall we say, one of the least incompetent of the class, only creating a few inadequate…mixtures, for I could hardly call them potions."

"I'd like to perfect those inadequacies, Professor," she said calmly. "I know I'm capable of getting a good grade, but I want the _best_ I can get, and I'm prepared to put the work in to ensure that happens." She knew it was a ridiculous thought, but he had actually looked mildly impressed. It was probably just a trick of the light; for Snape to look impressed she'd probably have to transfigure herself into Voldemort.

"Very well, when were you thinking of?" he asked.

"Perhaps Friday evening? I have Potions with you last lesson, it seems the most practical."

"Friday evening it is then. Was there anything else? Only I do have some rather important things to attend to," he said brusquely.

"As do I. Good evening Professor," she said, holding back a smirk. It was fun not to be afraid of him.

He watched her go with one eyebrow raised in curious scrutiny. She was, though he wouldn't admit it to her, or anyone else for that matter, one of his best students, her intelligence rivalling that of many 7th years, including Hermione Granger. She was a quick learner, her tuned mind grasping concepts before those around her had even begun to process them. But there was another thing that set her apart from her fellow students; she didn't cower in fear in his presence, in fact, she did just the opposite. She always made eye contact and responded quickly to his comments, not letting him put her off in any way. She was a puzzle, an unfathomable girl and not one who belonged among the mediocre crowd of students he had the misfortune to teach.

He shook his head, reminding himself he had more important issues to think on than the youngest Weasley. His mind was concentrated on the upcoming New Year; every time he considered it he was hit with nervous anticipation; not a feeling he was overly familiar with. He had hidden the truth for so long, it wouldn't be easy to stop living a lie, though he was looking forward to the relief it would bring. For nearly eighteen years he had formed the life he was leading, carefully constructed the walls and falsehoods that ensured his survival and that of those he protected. Although he was loath to admit it, he was scared of what he had to do, and what the reactions and repercussions would be. The revelations he was to unveil were earth shattering; especially for the person he had to unveil them to. He was convinced his life would never be simple.

And now, with all that was happening, he had noticed a certain member of his house was not resembling the boy he had been only months before. Draco Malfoy had changed; that was evident to anyone who cared to look, though the reason was unclear. He had become more introverted, and his face, which had once been boyish, now carried the lines of frowns and worries, making him appear far older than his 17 years. He seemed somewhat subdued, and hardly integrated with his fellow Slytherins at all. That could be dangerous; to be a lone figure from such a rapacious pack could single you out as vulnerable, especially if you went about it as Draco had been. He had only seen one truly successful Slytherin who managed to distance himself from their clutches and still manage to maintain an air of command, and that was his own godson, Blaise Zabini. There was a young man who made his own destiny and walked his own path, regardless of anyone's rules. Though, he did also have his family to thank for that; they bowed to no one, and, being one of the most affluent and powerful pureblood wizarding families dating back centuries, people respected that. Maybe Blaise would be able to help Draco, that was, if he wanted any help.

"Severus," Lupin's voice cut into his thoughts as he appeared in the doorway.

"What can I do for you, Lupin?" he asked, making sure Lupin knew his presence was unwelcome.

"I just wanted to check that the Wolfsbane would be reading by next week," he replied pleasantly, taking no heed of Severus' expression as he took a seat.

"It will, as always, be ready in time for the full moon. But that was not the reason you came to see me," said Severus, folding his arms as he looked across at his colleague. "Lupin, may I remind you I used to interrogate Aurors, I know when a person is lying. The truth if you will, don't give me an excuse to use my interrogation methods on you, because believe me, I will."

"Very well, I was just wondering if you'd noticed anything different about him," Lupin said, knowing he didn't have to put a name to the person.

"Well you'd have to be blind not to," Severus said irritably, did Lupin really think he wouldn't have? "I see him four times a week, more than you do I might add. Of course I've seen a difference, a worrying one," he finished more calmly.

"You could help," Lupin ventured quietly.

"Don't be ridiculous!" he spat. "What on earth could I do?"

"You have answers; that's what he needs right now. You're the one who can give him those."

"No, not yet, you know I can't. Don't you think I want to help? You think I enjoy seeing him this way, cut off from everyone and everything? But it's not that simple, you know it isn't. My hands are very much tied; I can do nothing, at least not until the New Year. Then, everything changes."

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	3. Philosophy will clip an Angel's Wings

**AN:** Hello again lovely people! Well you've probably all guessed by now that the pairings will be as follows: Harry/Draco, Ginny/Snape (please don't run in away in horror, I promise it will be tasteful and not weird and gross!) Ron/Hermione (though this will only be on the side, not very important) and maybe I'll put in a few references to other relationships, but they probably won't have much importance.

I also now have a BETA – **XxRoGuExHeArTxX **who is an absolute legend and without whom this chapter wouldn't be the standard it is now (not that I'm blowing my own trumpet or anything!) Thanks hun, you're a star, and long may you continue to be. If you're looking for a good H/D fic go and read her fic 'My Hero', it's fantastic!

**Review responses:**

**XxRoGuExHeArTxX:** Even though you're my BETA, you still deserve a response! I would reply to your guesses, but by now you already know whether you're right or not! Thanks for everything, long may it continue!

**Arica, Princess of Rivendell:** I am at your command! I updated!

**Eva Angel:** Sorry hun but you're 100 percent correct! Lol, no worries, as you're my most loyal reviewer for 'Just a Little Girl', I will let you off! Go read the next chapter for that! hugs

**yaoi – is – wowie21: **Aw such lovely comments! Yes I'm afraid our two favourite boys are pretty angsty at the moment, all is not well, and it's about to get a whole lot more complicated! Hope you keep reading!

**Shinoa Yuuki: **It will be pretty mysterious for a while, until the secrets can be unveiled and all! I know Snape was a little OOC, but the secrets that's he's hiding are kind of making him that way, hopefully he's a little more himself in this chapter! Glad you enjoyed, please keep reading!

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"Now then Miss Weasley," said Snape, sitting down at his desk with Ginny's notes in front of him. "I noticed that when we studied the healing potion, Auxilium, your grades dropped slightly. What exactly was it you didn't understand?" he asked.

"I couldn't see why blood was needed, the potion seemed to work perfectly well without it."

"Well, blood itself has healing components, clotting for example, or we would bleed to death every time we acquired the slightest injury. Whilst it is true the potion works well enough without it, blood strengthens the healing qualities and leaves you with a better potion," he explained.

"Of course, I don't know why that didn't register last time," said Ginny, sounding mildly irritated with herself. "So you would use the Auxilium if you wished to heal an external wound? What level of severity can it be used to?" she asked.

"Flesh wounds, cuts, scrapes, and if it's brewed well enough, stab wounds."

"But it won't heal the body from the effects of a curse?"

"No, for that you need a different strength potion, the Auxiliumata, with different properties, one that you will learn in your 7th year," he told her.

"Well, would you…consider teaching it to me now?" she asked tentatively, you could never be sure how he would react, but it was worth asking.

""What makes you think you're at the standard to learn 7th year work?" he asked, leaning back in his chair to get a better look at the girl sitting before him.

"I know I'm better than half of the 7th years and they seem to manage, why shouldn't I? I'm not stupid, I work hard, there's no apparent reason why I shouldn't at least try," she said, fixing her stare directly on him. Well, he _did_ ask, all she was doing was giving him an answer. She wasn't being arrogant, it was true, she _was_ better than half of the 7th years, and if they could cope, she damn well could. Snape seemed to be trying very hard not to smirk; he knew she was right.

"As you wish Miss Weasley, wait here while I get the necessary ingredients," he said, rising gracefully and retreating to his private quarters. She really was an audacious young woman, he mused, as he searched his shelves for the things he needed. She was fiercely intelligent, had the courage of her convictions and didn't seem to let anything hold her back. But there was something else, something more. He had studied people closely enough to be able to see that. She seemed slightly distant, somehow set apart from those around, though it appeared to be a condition of choice rather than accident. Perhaps there were complexities to the youngest Weasley he hadn't considered. "Now, as you can see, this potion contains some of the ingredients as the Auxilium, but there are significant differences, namely the use of faerie wings, sage, groundsel, vinegar and a raven's feather. Can you tell me why you think these are used?" he asked, curious to see if she really was as intelligent as he was giving her credit for.

"Well," she said, pausing to consider her answer. "Sage and groundsel have been used for centuries, even in muggle remedies. They can both lower fever and groundsel, when boiled in vinegar can induce vomiting. Oh I see!" she said, and idea coming to her. "Certain curses have been known to release bile in the stomach, and vomiting would help ease that. Now, the raven's feather," she stopped for a moment, her quick mind arranging her thoughts. "Well, it has been considered that ravens possess certain magical qualities, although these days that's only a view upheld by the Circle of the Fianna," she said absently as she pondered the notion. It was only then she noticed the look on Snape's face; he was eyeing her with a somewhat relatively wary curiosity.

"You know about the Circle?" he asked, and she noticed his jaw was tensed slightly, as he were holding back from adding something to his question.

"I…yes. I know not many do now, but…well let's just say I read a lot," she said, averting her eyes from his scrutinising gaze. She knew the existence of the Circle was not exactly common knowledge, but his reaction upon learning she knew was a little strange, to say the least. "Was I right? About the ingredients I mean," she asked, changing the subject.

"Um…yes, actually you were," he replied, slightly thrown for a moment. "I didn't expect you'd have the presence of mind to fathom the complexities," he said, recovering himself.

"Thank you for the compliment, backhanded though it was," she added, trying to suppress an amused smirk; the man was incapable of praise. "Would you mind showing me how it's brewed?" she asked, before he could protest at the notion of complimenting a Gryffindor.

"Did you think I brought the ingredients merely to admire?"

"I'll get the necessary apparatus then," she said pleasantly, not in the least bit thrown by his sarcasm. "Now, I'm guessing that the groundsel must be boiled in vinegar and the sage chopped. As for the faerie wings, I believe they work best when powdered and the raven's feather should probably be added sparingly. I'm afraid that's the extent of my guess-work," she informed him, looking to him to pick up her train of thought.

"Well it isn't dire," he consented grudgingly, this girl really did know far too much. "We do indeed boil the groundsel in vinegar and the sage should be chopped finely, but it is then mixed into the blood, which is then brought to the boil. The boiled groundsel is then left to cool; when it has reached a sufficient temperature, it is then crushed together with the faerie wings, which are indeed, powdered. This is then conjoined with the blood when the final step is taken; the use of the raven's feather. It must have been soaked in a pure cordial of crushed thyme and salt water for a week before it can be properly used, if this is done it is then broken by hand and added most carefully, and indeed sparingly to the mixture. This is then brought to a boil once more and then left for a fortnight untouched. Any questions?" he asked. She simply shook her head in response. "Very well then, set the vinegar on a low heat and we shall begin."

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It was past eleven by the time Ginny and Snape had finished brewing. The potion had been remarkably successful, Severus privately mused as he tidied the potions lab after Ginny had left. But what bothered him more than her ability was her knowledge of the Circle. It's existence was something few wizards and witches had knowledge of in this age, and yet there she had stood, sixteen years old, musing about the beliefs of it, which, oddly enough, were correct. If she knew about that, what else was there in that mind of hers?

It was most unnerving; he had been sure that out of the whole population of Hogwarts, the knowledge of the Circle rested only with himself, Dumbledore and Lupin, but tonight he had been proved wrong. He would have to pursue the matter further, but with the utmost discretion; it wouldn't do for young Miss Weasley to learn more than she evidently already knew.

He had to admit though, he had been impressed with her performance that night. She had quickly identified the reason behind the use of each ingredient with certainty, and her knowledge had then led her to form her own conclusions about the potion. An idea was beginning to form in his mind and he found himself surprised to even be considering it. That was another thing he would have to discuss with Albus, and preferably sooner rather than later.

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Harry's endeavours for a peaceful night's sleep were not going well…at all. He had finally given in to Ron's arguments that he couldn't sit staring in to the common room fire all night and had made his way up to his room and into bed. He was still lying there three hours later, wide awake, staring up at the canopy above him. It wasn't that he didn't want to sleep. As much as he welcomed the prospect, sleep just wouldn't come. Every time his eyes closed he was inundated with visions of death; Sirus, Cedric and his parents, all falling lifeless in his mind. Visions of every awful memory, every awful experience he had ever suffered. It was not pleasant. Worst of all was that he had to re-live the events of the past summer; something which he wished to avoid at all costs, but somehow, was not able to.

He threw the covers off in frustration and made his way quietly but quickly out of the Gryffindor tower, not even bothering to pick up his cloak or the Map, he was beyond caring whether or not he was caught; what could they do to him that was worse than what he was putting himself through? He found his feet had carried him to the edge of the lake, without his mind fully registering the direction in which he was headed. He stared down into the murky waters and briefly entertained the idea of how it would feel to be pulled down into it, to sink beneath the currents and let it all wash over him. He wondered what it would feel like to know of nothing but the pull of the water as it carried him down, down into a blissful Oblivion. He thought how free his mind would be, how it could all be over with one simple action.

"And just what do you think you're doing here at this time night?" the voice pulled him back from he edge of his thoughts and he mentally shook himself to bring his eyes to meet the cold, unblinking ones of the Potions Master.

"Professor…I…was feeling unwell and thought some fresh air would do me some good," he improvised poorly.

"I see, and you were feeling so unwell you forgot that to go outside out of hours would be to break a school rule? Or is this just another blatant disregard for authority, Mr. Potter?" he asked, sneering at the young man. He only just realized Harry had grown tall enough over the summer that he could glare at the boy without having to look down. "Well? Have you nothing to say for yourself?"

"Screw you," Harry murmured slowly and deliberately.

"What was that, Potter?" Snape asked, his voice dangerously low and smooth.

"I said SCREW YOU," Harry repeated more loudly. "Screw all of you, what the hell do you know about anything? Why should it be any business of yours what I do? Oh wait, I forgot, of course it's your business, it's everyone's business, every single detail of my life, my every move, every decision, should be known by every single person. Because who cares what I want? Who cares that I'm actually a human being and not just some pawn in your game that you can do with what you like when it suits you and then just forget about when it doesn't? So go on, give me a month's worth of detention for stepping out of the precious castle out of hours, do whatever the fuck you want, because I just don't care anymore," he finished, his anger now threatening to unleash itself with all the fury he possessed in his body. He wanted to scream, to smash and destroy things, anything, it didn't matter, he wanted to lash out at the injustice of it all, hoping to relieve some of the unbearable tension that had set up residence deep within him.

"I suggest, Mr. Potter, that you calm yourself and remember to whom it is you are speaking," he said, his voice infuriatingly steady, though still just as low. "I will not tolerate such a disrespectful outburst as you have just demonstrated; 10 points from Gryffindor. Now kindly return to your room."

"You don't get it do you?" Harry asked through clenched teeth. "Take all the points you want, I don't care, it doesn't mean anything more, none of it," and with that he swept past the Potions Professor, his jaw tightened and his fists firmly clenched so his nails were beginning to dig into the soft flesh of his palms.

Snape watched him go, still reeling from the outburst he had just witnessed and the boy's sudden loss of control. He had been positively furious, growing more so with every word he uttered, and his eyes had been filled with something so unreadable, and yet so worrying, it had almost thrown the stoic Professor. He would be having a very long conversation with the Head Master the next day.

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"I'm telling you Albus, the boy was incensed, I've never seen him so full of anger and believe me, I've experienced many of Mr. Potter's eruptions," said Snape the next morning as he paced back and forth in Dumbledore's office. He had gone there directly after breakfast, noticing a certain absence from the Gryffindor table and the worried looks of his friends. "The things he was saying…" he trailed off, remembering the boy's words to him the previous night.

"Such as?" Albus prompted.

"Oh, things like he's only a pawn, it doesn't matter, no one cares. But it was the anger behind it more than anything, the anger wrapped around every word. It was so…powerful," Severus finished, his gaze becoming distant, pensive. "Someone will have to keep a close eye on him, and before you say anything, no it will not be me. Get Lupin or someone to do it, I have far too many things to deal with this term than to follow him around making sure he doesn't unleash his fury on some unsuspecting first year!"

"Surely you don't think it will come to that?" asked Albus, his ageing blue eyes clouding with worry.

"One would hope not," Severus conceded. "But I do think it would be wise to monitor him for the time being, just as a precaution. We must hope unnecessary teen angst and unruly hormones are the only explanations for his behaviour, although my experience of life has taught me never to be so naïve and hopeful as that," he finished dryly.

"Well thank you for bringing it to my attention Severus, was there anything else?" he asked, sensing that the man had more to relay to him than the somewhat disturbing news about Harry.

"Actually yes, it's in regard to Miss Weasley," said Severus, remembering the other reason for his visit to the headmaster.

"Oh?" said Dumbledore, somewhat surprised that the youngest Weasley child was a topic the Potions Master wished to discuss. "What exactly is that matter?"

"Well to be honest I'm not entirely sure. She is…one of my more able students," Albus smiled at the expression the Potions Master wore upon giving a compliment to a student; it wasn't something he was used to. "We have started tutoring sessions, at her request, and the other evening when I was explaining the Auxiliamata, a 7th year potion I know," he added on seeing the curious expression on the headmaster's face. "She made mention of the Circle of the Fianna."

"Now that _is_ interesting," said Dumbledore quietly, one hand stroking his grey beard distractedly. "How is it that she knows of its existence?"

"I don't know, she only mentioned it in regards to the potion and then dismissed the topic, I didn't feel I should press the matter further. What do you make of it?"

"Well the Circle isn't a complete secret, Severus, though I'll admit, few are aware of it. However, Miss Weasley is a very intelligent young lady, she may well have come across it in her reading, or perhaps her family has informed her of it. Let's not forgot, the Weasley's are an ancient pureblood family, the kind who would not be in ignorance of such a Clan."

"Perhaps, though I must admit it unsettled me slightly," Severus confessed.

He heard a chuckle and looked up at the headmaster who was smiling at him. "_You_ were unsettled Severus? I find that hard to believe," he said, his features then turning serious. "However, if you feel that the situation requires closer attention, perhaps you will keep a close eye on Miss Weasley, as you are unwilling to do so for Mr. Potter."

"With good reason," Severus mumbled, more to himself than Dumbledore. "I can sense this is more a gentle command than a suggestion so, as you wish, I will monitor Miss Weasley, and perhaps see if I can ascertain the extent of her knowledge."

It was only after he left the headmaster's office that he realised he had completely forgotten to raise the idea which he had been playing with in his mind for the past twenty-four hours.


	4. Sorrows Mysteries

**AN:** Back again (obviously!), a little sad at the lack of feedback, but hopefully this chapter will get a bit more! HUGE thanks to my wonderfully dedicated BETA **XxRoGuExHeArTxX**, who BETA-ed this for me after having eye surgery and not actually being fully able to see the keyboard, how's that for dedication! Anyway, she made me see some gaping flaws in the chapter, and for that she deserves a huge amount of credit. Thanks hun, couldn't do it without you!

**Review responses:**

**Arica, Princess of Rivendell:** I have done as you commanded! And will continue to do so!

**shinoa Yuuki:** Actually I was going to ask if anyone knew where the chapter titles were from, any ideas? Yep, I'm being very vague about the details, but rest assured, I _do_ know the answers to all the questions, I'm not just buying time! At the moment I can really only update once a week as I'm working full-time throughout the summer. But it might become more frequent in the future!

For all of you wanting more Harry/Draco, fear not, it will be here in the very next chapter! Hope you like this one and hope you find it in your hearts to review!

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A month passed and Draco was still struggling with his situation. He hated to admit it but he had changed, and people were beginning to notice. There were some who didn't care, some to whom it mattered little. But then there were others to whom it mattered a great deal. If the great Malfoy was vulnerable, he could be defeated, he could be destroyed, opening the way for them. He knew he was being stupid, the sooner or later word of his behaviour would reach his father, but somehow, he just couldn't bring himself to be the boy he'd been in previous years. Then there were others who saw and cared for different reasons. They cared because he was a boy, almost a man, who was letting himself be seen defenceless, who was allowing others the privilege of seeing him weakened; far too dangerous a thing to do when one resided in the House of Slytherin.

He was sitting in the library, a place he had taken to retreating to when he felt he wasn't yet ready to return to the Lair. He found it had a rather soothing effect on him; it was peaceful and still and there were plenty of dark corners for him to disappear into, to enshroud him from the world. It was in one of these dark corners that Blaise Zabini found him, hunched over a book, concentrating deeply. He glided over to the boy and without a second's warning, smacked him sharply round the head.

"What in the bloody hell!…" Draco trailed off, looking up into the vastness of Blaise's completely unfazed eyes. "Just what in the name of Salazaar do you think you're doing?" he hissed as the brunette took a seat opposite him.

"You were unguarded weren't you Draco? You didn't expect it, you were far too busy wrapped up in whatever it was you were doing to be aware that there was someone intending you harm. That is extremely unwise. Unfortunately, it is also exactly what you have been doing ever since the start of term, and if you're not careful, it'll earn you far worse than a smack round the head," Blaise said smoothly, looking levelly at the blond.

"Get lost Zabini, I am most seriously not in the mood," Draco informed him, going back to his book.

"Oh but I am," said Blaise, swiping the book from Draco's hands and placing it out of his reach. "I don't think I have to remind you how the House of Slytherin works, if I do then the problem is far more severe than I had originally anticipated. You know the rules Draco, you know the game. Now it's fine if you don't want to play anymore, but you must know how to refuse in the proper way, or else, you won't have a choice in the matter," Blaise informed him calmly, seeing the blond visibly tense.

"Just exactly what is the point in this oh-so enjoyable conversation?" Draco asked, his old sneer placing itself on his face.

"Open your eyes Draco," said Blaise, leaning in close to the other boy. "Your behaviour, whatever the reason behind it, is putting you in very real and very serious danger. I suggest you remedy the situation before it's too late. This can go either way Draco, it's up to you to decide which."

"Are you quite finished?" Draco asked, sounding incredibly bored with the conversation. He wouldn't let his companion know that it had done more than touch a nerve.

"For now," Blaise said, standing and returning the book to him. He paused for the moment, his dark eyes scrutinising the other boy carefully. "I'll be watching Draco," he slowly informed him. "And I have no doubt others will be too. Just keep that in mind," he said before gliding out of the library, on the way to his next destination, his godfather.

It was a little known fact at Hogwarts that the two had a relationship of any kind; neither acknowledged it openly, but Severus was a large part of the boy's life and acted as something of a mentor to the boy. There was a deeper link between Severus and the Zabini family, but neither side talked of it; some things were better left buried.

"Severus?" Blaise said, walking into the Potions classroom, scanning the empty room.

"There is such a thing as knocking you know," came the terse reply as the man emerged from the side door that led to his private quarters, carrying several vials of potions.

"I prefer to have the element of surprise, something _you _taught me I believe," came the smooth reply.

"I also taught you that manners are a virtue."

"Then why is it you never employ them?" the boy asked, lazing idly in one of the chairs, smirking up at his godfather.

"Was there something in particular you wanted Blaise, or are you just here to annoy me?" asked Severus, glaring down at his godson.

"As much as that is a favourite pastime of mine, there is a reason for my gracing you with my presence," he replied, to which Severus raised an eyebrow, but waited for him to continue. "It's about a certain member of your House whom I'm sure you have noticed a change in," Blaise said, his tone becoming serious.

"Indeed," said Severus with a sigh. "Have you managed to discover what has brought about this change?" he asked.

"He wouldn't tell me if I asked, much as he has changed, he still hold things extremely closely and guards his secrets well. Nevertheless, for whatever reason, he _has_ changed and many besides myself have noticed. It will not be long before they try and take advantage of the situation, and you know as well as I, it will not be pleasant for him if they do."

Severus nodded slowly; he knew all too well how the member of his House moved, how they played the Game. "Do you think he has perhaps…had a change of heart?" he asked.

"I couldn't say, but something has happened, something which has made him retreat into himself and hardly pay any attention to the world around him. He hasn't even been insulting Potter! Though mind you, Potter seems to be refraining from the insults also. They both seem to be walking around like forlorn spectres with no interest in life."

"Well we're not here to discuss Potter, we'll leave that to Dumbledore and the rest of his fan club," Severus said, rolling his eyes. "I don't know what is to be done about Mr Malfoy, just keep an eye on him, make sure his behaviour does not become too extreme and if you can, try and keep the Serpents at bay for as long as possible. Either way, he will have to make a stand, and soon, or he'll regret it," he said, his expression serious and thoughtful.

"Excuse me Professor," he heard a voice from the doorway and looked up to see Ginny standing there, her eyes going from him to Blaise. "Am I interrupting? I can come back later if you prefer," she offered.

"No need, I was going anyway," said Blaise, rising from his seat. "Thank you for your time Professor, I shall do as you suggested," he said, moving gracefully from the room, stopping to bow slightly and acknowledge Ginny. "Miss Weasley." Snape had to suppress a smirk; his godson was, if nothing, a complete gentleman.

"Good evening Miss Weasley," he said as she moved further into the room.

She was surprised as his politeness, but merely responded with a "Professor", taking a seat in front of his desk, suppressing a shudder at the chill that encircled her; would it kill him to light a fire every once in a while? He steepled his fingers and fixed her with his eyes, yet she never faltered; not once had he seen her flinch under his gaze. However, he noticed that tonight she looked somewhat tired, a little on edge, her normally calm composure slightly ruffled.

"Miss Weasley, I have a proposition for you," he began. If it had been any other teacher, she might have joked about not yet being ready for marriage, as it was, she simply waited for him to continue, her curiosity piqued. "I'm sure I needn't inform you of the work I perform outside my capacity as Potions Professor of Hogwarts," he began carefully, her expression said that he didn't, but also that she was interested in why he was discussing it with her. "My position has allowed me access to knowledge of a new curse that has unfortunately been discovered by Voldemort," he told her, noticing how she didn't flinch at the name. "This curse devastates the body, making it appear as though the victim has been brutally attacked, beaten, stabbed, when in reality, no such thing has happened. It is incredibly powerful and in most cases, the victim will die from it. Neither the Auxilium or the Auxiliumata has any effect on it whatsoever and, as of yet, there is no known cure."

"As of yet?" she asked, her astuteness picking that out through the awful information he had just given her.

"This is the matter I wish to discuss with you. Professor Dumbledore has issued me with the task of finding a cure, however, it is difficult work and I already have a multitude of tasks that all require careful attention. That being so, I thought I would ask for your services in the matter."

"Sir?" she asked, confused, surprised and not a little flattered.

"I have presented the idea to the headmaster and he has approved it. You would be helping with research, gathering ingredients and assisting with brewing the trial potions," he told her, assessing her reaction. "Will you accept?"

Ginny paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts together. Professor Snape was actually admitting, not directly, mind, but still admitting, that she had the intelligence and skill to aid him in creating a potion to counter the effects of a curse coined by Voldemort himself. There was no way in Hell she would be likely to pass up that opportunity. "I would be…" deciding he would sneer at the word 'flattered' she went with "…honoured. Are you sure I'm capable?" she asked.

"I would not have suggested the idea if I thought otherwise," he replied, telling her that she should not be questioning his judgement.

"Then I accept. Did you mean to start tonight?"

"I did. I have acquired certain texts, mostly from the Restricted Section, that I wish you to peruse to ascertain what you can about the properties of dragon scale poison, mostly related to its use in healing of course. The books are over there," he said, indicating to a table upon which a pile of books were stacked, waiting to be examined. She nodded and moved over to them, settling herself down in one of the chairs, preparing herself for some heavy reading and concentration. If she was going to do this, she was going to do it properly.

She picked the book from the top of the pile and set it down in front of her, finding her quill and her parchment in case she wished to make notes. She could have done without having to scan thick, voluminous books this night from all others. The previous night had not been a particularly enjoyable one; she had been plagued with old nightmares, ones she had foolishly believed to be gone, and once she had woken in a cold sweat at half three in the morning, she had found it impossible to return to the comforting folds of sleep. She was paying dearly for that now as she struggled to keep her eyes properly focused on the words on the pages and her mind fully concentrated on their meaning.

But she was determined. There was no way she would let that foul excuse for a wizard ruin her life, her chances. She wouldn't let him affect her work and her professionalism; he didn't deserve that. But it wasn't easy; it was so very far from easy sometimes she almost wondered whether it was worth the fight. Then she reminded herself that she was stronger than that, she wouldn't let herself be beaten so easily, she wouldn't be controlled by him again.

He watched as she methodically went through the book, occasionally jotting the odd note, though he couldn't help but notice that she seemed somewhat distracted, as if something undesirable was plaguing her mind. He had discussed the idea of her helping at length with Dumbledore after he had remembered to return to the elderly wizard with the topic he had originally meant to discuss. Miss Granger's name was raised as a suggestion, but both had decided against it as she had enough to think on with her Head Girl duties and other duties from the Order, regarding various pieces of research. There were no other 7th years deemed clever or trustworthy enough for the task and Severus had put forward Ginny's name, which was readily approved by the headmaster. He hoped she would rise to the challenge.

She was doing just that, but with some difficulty as her mind and body were exhausted, but her willpower and sheer stubbornness of nature refused to let her give up and so the evening passed, with Snape making a close examination of the reports of the curse, but also now and then of the girl before him, while said girl battled desperately with all that was going on inside her and the wish, the need, to succeed at this.

"Miss Weasley would you please pass me the vial of the blood from the shelf behind you?" he asked, breaking the silence that had filled the room for the past hour and a half.

"Hm? Oh, yes of course," she replied, shaking herself back into reality, realising she was being spoken to. She retrieved the vial and moved over to his desk, going to hand it to him, but not quite calculating when to properly release it, sending it shattering to the floor at their feet. "Professor I'm sorry!" she said, kneeling down to clear up the mess, carelessly picking up a piece of broken glass and slicing her finger on it. She dropped it involuntarily and placed her finger to her lips, looking at the shattered remains of the vial. It was almost too much; one little accident like that almost broke her. She sat back on her heals, tears threatening to invade her eyes as she realised just how tired she was, tired of everything.

"It's not the end of the world Miss Weasley, it's only one vial," he said, looking down at her and seeing the forlorn look on her face.

"Oh it's not the vial," she replied, almost in exasperation, before realising it was her professor to whom she was speaking. "It's just…I haven't been sleeping well, I suppose I'm just…a little on edge," she finished lamely.

He sighed and muttered "Scourgify," the broken glass and blood disappearing immediately, and she saw he had extended a hand to help her up. She took it, rising to full height, looking up into his black eyes, trying greatly to force down the torrent of emotions threatening to overpower her. She wouldn't let him see her cry, she wouldn't. "Miss Weasley, as I'm sure you know I am not in the habit of coddling my students, however, in my capacity as a professor, it is my responsibility to enquire as to the reason behind your present state," he informed her calmly.

She couldn't help but be slightly affronted by his tone. He was treating her as though she were merely an over-angsty teenager with whom he had to go through the proper procedures of pastoral care and to whom he had an unwanted responsibility. "It's nothing professor, nothing I'm sure you wish to be troubled with," she said, rather more coldly than she had intended, releasing her hand from the grasp she had only just realised it was still in.

"Kindly refrain from using that tone of voice with me Miss Weasley," he said sternly. "I simply wish to know whether there is any serious problem that needs attention to be brought to it."

She hated that tone, so professional, so cold and removed; was the man capable of feeling anything? "As I said Professor, it's nothing, no need for you to trouble yourself," she replied, having difficultly not using the tone he had reprimanded her for. She was sick of being treated like a child, she'd lost that right, that innocence when she was eleven, and she was in no mood to be patronised. She stared levelly at him for a few moments before returning to her seat and the pile of books she had yet to plough through. She didn't want to talk about it, and she was damned if she was going to let him make her.

She had just immersed herself in the book once more when his voice cut the somewhat tense silence. "You can't run from the nightmares you know, it only makes them more potent."

Her head snapped up sharply. "Who said anything about nightmares?" she asked defensively.

"You did just now with your reaction," he told her smoothly and she realised he had crossed the room and was now standing above her, his black eyes scrutinising her carefully, thoughtfully. "How long have they plagued you?" he asked.

She wanted to tell him to mind his own business, that he had no right to bring it up and pry into her affairs, but she knew that resistance would be a futile attempt. As much as she wasn't afraid of him, it still didn't mean he didn't have an incredibly persuasive manner, and he wasn't a person easily refused. She gave in and offered a small shrug, saying, "Ever since it happened I suppose, it's only to be expected; when someone…invades you like he did, there's bound to be some sort of a mark left behind," she said, trying to sound professional and removed from it, but knowing she never could be. "I thought I'd escaped them," she continued quietly, not caring that she was letting her guard down and making herself vulnerable; it was actually a welcome relief from the constant pretence. "I thought maybe I'd be able to get on with things without his memory always hanging over me, I could forget and let it all belong to the past, but it doesn't work like that does it?" she asked, looking up into his deep eyes, ones that still showed no sign of any emotion or feeling. "Some things you're just not allowed to forget." She finished, her voice now almost a whisper, her eyes swimming with tears, ones that she prayed fervently would not make their way down her cheeks. She couldn't bare for him to see her cry or think her weak.

"No need for tears," he told her, his voice still firm but without its usual hardness.

"I'm not crying," she informed him fiercely, lifting her face to prove it to him, though she knew that her glistening eyes told otherwise.

"Good," he said. "I believe I have another proposition for you Miss Weasley," he told her, an idea forming in his mind.

"Two in one night? You'll be getting a reputation Professor," she said, trying to get back to herself. He raised an eyebrow, not only at her sudden change, but also at the implied innuendo within her remark. "What is this proposition?" she prompted.

"I can help you block the nightmares, perhaps even erase them completely, but it will not be easy, and it may well involve facing your demons in more ways than one. I can't promise anything, but if it works then you may well find yourself getting a better night's sleep," he said with a smirk.

"Why would you do that?" she asked, confused at his sudden generosity.

"Because I need an assistant who will be alert and clear-minded for the work she has to do." She should have guessed. "And I think it's about time someone paid closer to attention to what you have had to face," he said, shocking her completely so that she looked up at him with confusion plainly evident on her face.

"I…thank you sir," she said after a while, a frown still on her face at this uncharacteristic gesture of her Potions Master.

"I think that's enough for one night. We'll meet again at the same time next week," he said, moving away from her back to his desk.

She gathered her things together and headed for the door, wondering whether or not she was pleased with the transformation she had just witnessed. After all, it wasn't every day one saw a greasy old snake become a man. It had been subtle, but it had been there, but maybe that was only because she was trying her hardest to see it.

"Goodnight Miss Weasley."

"Goodnight Professor."


	5. Empty of Delight

**AN: **I know, a little late with the update, but I just didn't get a second last night, so here it is! Big thanks as always to my one-of-a-kind BETA **XxRoGuExHeArTxX, **whose story you should all go read now because it's fantastic, but make sure you read mine too! Anyway, couldn't do this without you hun, you rock!

**Review responses:**

**logi: **Your wish has been granted; a whole chapter about Harry and our fav blond Slytherin!

**Nerfi-Tiri:** Glad I've hooked your love! Hope you keep reading!

Enjoy the chapter…….

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"Potter!" Snape's voice barked through the boy's solemn reverie. He mentally shook himself and looked up at the displeased figure looming above him, though, Harry reasoned, when did he ever look anything but? "If you find it difficult to concentrate in my class, then I suggest you change to a less mentally exerting lesson, Divination perhaps," he sneered. "For now, you will kindly pay attention and copy what is on the board," he instructed, sweeping away back to the front of the class.

Harry rolled his eyes and tried to shift his attention back to his work, but found it difficult to do so. Again, he hadn't been sleeping well and he was all too aware of the dark rings under his eyes and his somewhat gaunt appearance. What did it matter though? It didn't; that was the conclusion he had reached. None of it mattered anymore. All that seemed to exist was the gaping void deep inside him that made him feel so hollow, so empty. Beyond that there was nothing, he just didn't care; he couldn't afford to. It was too painful to care, it brought back things that he desperately wanted to forget, to escape from. All the memories that relentlessly haunted him, forcing him to relive them over and over again; the sounds, the smells…the feelings. He gripped the edges of the table firmly and clenched his jaw, determined not to let them overpower him, determined to push them away.

Trying to occupy his mind, he concerned himself with the potion, trying to focus on what it was he had to do. Realising he was missing an ingredient, he walked steadily up to the front table and selected a vial of a yellowy acidic substance. On his way back he passed Draco, who shouldered into him.

"Watch where you're going, Potter," he said, not bothering to look at the other boy, hardly any effort or force behind the words.

"You walked into me, watch where _you're_ going," Harry returned, rattled slightly, having not been in the best of moods to begin with.

"Potter," began Draco, as if he were speaking to a rather slow and deeply annoying child. "You have all the co-ordination of a blind flobberworm and judging by the amount of time you spend in the Hospital Wing, one could be forgiven for thinking you're somewhat accident prone. Ergo, you should watch where you're going, or you might just find yourself paying yet another visit to Pomfrey."

"I'm trembling Malfoy. Stay out of my way," he spat, his frustration growing with every second.

"Or what?" Draco taunted, a spark of his old self returning. "You'll send that mutt of a godfather after me? Oh wait, that would be a little impossible now, wouldn't it?"

"How's your father, Malfoy?" Harry hissed, venom dripping from his words. "I hear his time in Azkaban was slightly less than pleasant. I've heard he returned to hearth and home as little more than a total psychopath!"

And that was it; both saw red and practically flew at each other, the anger and pain that emanated from both of them so powerful it could be felt throughout the entire room. In the rage that encircled him, Harry didn't even register the fact the bottle of acid was slipping from his hand and it was only in the split second when he heard the shatter of glass that he realised his mistake. There was a huge explosion and both boys were flung to the ground, completely unconscious.

"Oh all the damn-fool things!" yell Snape, as he pushed his way through the students to the still bodies of the two boys. "Miss Granger!" he barked. "Levitate Potter to the Hospital Wing, I shall follow with Mr Malfoy. Mr Weasley, you will clear up the mess your friend made. The rest of you will continue with your work in silence, I expect everyone to be finished by the time I return," with that he nodded to Hermione to levitate Harry, whilst he followed behind with Draco.

That had been the first time since the beginning of term he had seen either boy show any real emotion, there had been a fire in their eyes that hadn't been present for quite some time. He wasn't sure whether to be angry or glad with what had taken place. Either way, something had changed.

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"How is he?" Ron asked as Hermione entered the common room, having come from the Hospital Wing where she had left Harry in Madame Pomfrey's care after having been assured that his condition was not life threatening.

"He'll be ok, he's still out of it at the moment; Madame Pomfrey says he'll probably wake up tomorrow and them she'll keep them both in for observation. When are they going to grow up?" she asked exasperatedly, settling down on the sofa next to Ron, whose arm went automatically round her shoulders.

"You shouldn't be so quick to condemn it," he said quietly.

"How do you mean?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Well it's been two months since we've been back at school and in that time we've seen Harry go from bad to worse; he's been introverted, subdued and he's hardly spoken two words together. Today was the first time I've seen any real emotion in him, the first time he's been truly alive. It was the same for Malfoy too; he's been walking round like a phantom with a severe case of depression for ages and today something inside him just snapped. Even though it didn't exactly end brilliantly and fighting isn't the best thing they could have done, I'd rather see that than these spectres who don't seem to feel anything."

Hermione looked up in amazement at her boyfriend. "When did you become so insightful?" she asked with a soft laugh.

"Scary isn't it?" he replied with a grin, one that never failed to send butterflies to her stomach. "I think it must be your good influence," he said, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

She smiled and said, "You made a good point though, that _was_ the first time in ages he's shown any real emotion. You think it's a good thing?"

"It's got to be better than the way he's way been, and if it takes snide comments from Malfoy to bring him back to life, then we can only hope for Malfoy's speedy recovery!"

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It was a dark and deserted Hospital Wing that Harry opened his eyes to in the early hours of the morning. He stifled a groan as he felt a dull ache in the back of his head become sharper upon moving. He pushed himself up and glanced around at his surroundings, raising an eyebrow when he saw Malfoy still asleep in the bed next to his. Well at least he was quicker at regaining consciousness than his rival. He rubbed the bridge of his nose as his headache worsened, and sank back down into the warmth of the pillow. He didn't really know whom he was angrier at; himself or Malfoy. They had both been to blame for the accident, both completely losing their tempers and flying at each other. He mentally chastised himself for losing control and showing his weaknesses the way he had, but at the time self-control was the last thing on his mind. Malfoy's words had brought back things that he had been trying desperately to forget, things however, that wouldn't lay forgotten.

"Prat," he murmured into the darkness at the sleeping figure.

"Nice to see you've finally realised what you are," came the reply from the apparently not-so-sleeping blond, though his eyes remained closed.

"Piss off," Harry grumbled back, annoyed, a feeling that he had come to attribute to the other boy.

"You're the one who started this conversation, not me," Draco returned, finally opening his eyes and resting on his elbows.

"I wasn't talking to you."

"I'm curious, Potter, as to whom you _were_ talking to then, given that we're the only people in the whole Hospital Wing," he smirked.

"Is it your life's pursuit to be the most annoying git you can be? Because if it is, let me congratulate you on a marvellous success."

"Ah Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, I see you two have finally awoken. Leave it to two teenage boys to take their time in regaining consciousness," came Madam Pomfrey's voice as she appeared from her office. "Let me have a look at that cut then Mr. Potter," she said, moving closer to Harry, who wondered what she was talking about. He saw that she was indicating a small gash on his collarbone and when he realised she was going to move his shirt, he backed away from the medi-witch. "Come now Mr. Potter, this won't hurt. You've suffered far more severe injuries I can assure you," she told him firmly.

"No, it's fine really, I don't need it looking at," he said, a little too quickly, pulling his shirt tightly to him with slightly trembling fingers. He couldn't let her see, or even worse, Malfoy, whom he was aware was watching the transaction take place with far too much interest.

"Mr. Potter," she began again, growing frustrated. "It will only take a moment, I merely wish to ensure that it is free of infection, it will take a minute if not less! Now for Merlin's sake, stop being silly!"

"I said no!" he said more forcefully, stopping the middle-aged woman in her paces. "It's fine, if I need your help I'll ask for it, but I don't so just leave me alone!" he growled, with a forceful glare. She took a deep breath and turned on her heel, looking highly affronted. He would have some grovelling to do in the future. Not that he cared much, she hadn't seen what he had been hiding for so long and that was all that mattered. No one could see, no one could know, what would they think if they found out? They'd laugh, or pity him, he wasn't sure which was worse, but he wanted neither.

"What the hell was _that_ all about Potter?" came Draco's voice. He looked to his left to see the blond eyeing him suspiciously, one perfect eyebrow arched in scrutiny.

"None of your damn business," he bit back sharply.

"What are you trying to hide?" Draco asked, sliding out of bed and closing the gap between them.

"I said it's none of your damn business," he repeated again, slowly, his voice low and full of warning.

"There's something you didn't want the old witch to see," Draco said silkily and his hand darted out to pull the collar of Harry's down over his shoulder. Harry had never really believed before that time stood still, but he found himself being proven otherwise as everything seemed to slow down completely, to the point where he wasn't even sure he was breathing anymore. Draco was deadly still, his eyes fixated on the deep black and purple markings that littered Harry's upper body, speech seeming to have momentarily evaded him. Whatever he had imagined the dark-haired boy had been hiding, this hadn't been it. He slowly released his grip on Harry's shirt and took a small step back, his eyes not leaving the sight he had just unveiled. "What in the name of Merlin happened to you?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"It's nothing," Harry replied gruffly. "And if you tell _anyone_ about this I will make sure you regret it."

"Well if it's nothing why are you so worried about people finding out?" Draco returned, regaining his senses after the initial shock.

"Because they'd only fuss and I don't want that, I don't need that. I just fell that's all," he said, pulling the shirt back up to cover the ugly bruising that dominated his skin.

"You fell?" Draco asked derisively. "There's clumsy and there's outright bullshit, Potter, I think I can tell which one this is. What _really_ happened?" he pressed.

"Why do you care!" Harry shot back; angry at being interrogated by the one person he hoped above all others would never find out the secret he had been guarding for so long.

"I don't," Draco answered with a shrug. "But I can tell when someone's lying and there's no way in Hell you got all those bruises from a fall, even _you_ aren't that spatially challenged!"

"Malfoy," Harry began, looking up at the other boy. Draco could practically see the same weariness in Harry's eyes that the other boy's voice held. "I don't want to talk about it, least of all with you, so please, can you just leave it?"

"Fine, but don't think that no one else is going to notice. You can only keep these things hidden for so long," he finished quietly before returning to his bed, lying with his back to Harry. However, both boys knew they were going to get no sleep that night.

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Remus Lupin rose from his seat to answer the knock he had been expecting all morning. Upon opening the door he found Harry standing in front of him, staring dejectedly at the ground. He moved aside without a word and let Harry into his office. He took the seat in front of Lupin's desk, knowing the invitation was already there. It had become a kind of practiced ritual between them; whenever anything occurred, Harry would seek refuge in Lupin's quarters for however long he needed it. Sometimes they would speak, other times they would remain in a comfortable silence, one that had become familiar to them both. Lupin never chose the direction in which this ritual would go, he always let Harry lead, as he felt the boy's need was greater than his own.

"You heard then?" Harry finally asked after several silent minutes.

"About the accident in Potions? Yes, as you can imagine it's all around the school now, it isn't every day Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy manage to knock themselves unconscious. Although, we can't exactly call it a rarity either," he replied, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He was thankful to see the same smile playing lightly around his surrogate godson's lips also. "You two were fighting again?" he asked, although both knew he was already well aware of the particulars of the previous day's incidents.

"Well it _is_ a favourite pastime of ours, we've been letting it slide somewhat lately, so I suppose we thought we ought to return to it," he answered, accepting the coffee Remus held out to him.

"Yes," Remus mused, stirring his own. "Your arguments have been become far and few between lately. I was almost surprised to hear you had been fighting."

"Almost," Harry echoed with a raised eyebrow.

"Well we can't ask for miracles now can we?" he replied, surveying Harry over the rim of his coffee cup. "Can I ask what the argument was about?"

"Oh the usual I suppose," Harry sighed. "He insulted my family, I insulted his, although I suppose we both did so with a little more venom than we usually do. I don't know," he said, a slight tone of frustration in his voice as he put down his cup and moved over to the window, his hands in his pockets. "He just got to me, that's all. Struck a nerve; I don't know what it is about him that gets me so wound up," he said, his jaw tensing slightly.

"Well," began Remus carefully, joining Harry by the window. "I'm not too sorry you had the confrontation." Harry looked at him questioningly and he continued. "Harry, ever since we've been back at school, actually before that I suppose, you've been withdrawn, quiet, you hardly speak to anyone, even Ron and Hermione. And as you said yourself, your fights with Draco have been practically non-existent this term. Now, whilst I'm not saying I wish to promote inter-house hostility, I must say it was somewhat of a relief to hear that there was at least some part left that resembled the old you," he said quietly.

"The 'old me'?" Harry repeated. "And what exactly is the 'old me'? Just because I'm not merrily skipping down the corridors anymore only concerned about whether or not I can go to Hogsmeade doesn't mean I've turned into some sort of manic depressive! Ok I'm quieter and yes, maybe I don't want to spend all my time laughing over nonsense with Ron and Hermione, but did any of you consider for one minute that I might actually have more important things on my mind? Did any of you even give a moment's thought to the fact that there is a war approaching, one that I am expected to fight in? A war where I will either kill or be killed? I think I've earned the right to want a little 'alone time' don't you?" he asked Remus, his eyes flashing. He knew his anger wasn't particularly directed at the man before him, but it was an outlet of sorts, as Snape had been that night by the lake.

"No one's disputing that, Harry," Remus said calmly. "Don't you think we all know the burdens you have to carry? All we want to do is try and help make them lighter, more bearable. We can't stand seeing you walk around like some kind of spectre, shutting everyone out who cares about you, it's not the way to deal with things, Harry, it won't make them any better."

"Oh and you'd know that would you?"

"As a matter of fact yes, I would. I thought it would be better to bottle things up, to hide them and deal with them on my own, but it turns out I was very wrong; I only made myself more miserable. When I finally confided in my friends," he said the word with a slight hitch of pain in his voice. "Things became so much better. They were more understanding than I ever dreamed they would be. Together we managed to find a solution and together we worked through things. It doesn't do bottle these things up, Harry, it only causes you more pain. Ron and Hermione love you, all they want to do is help, and if you'd just let them, you might find that the situation improves," he said gently.

"They can't help," Harry replied quietly after a moment's silence.

"They've always been able to before."

"This time it's different."

"How so?" Remus gently pressed.

"It just is," Harry replied, running a hand through his already messy hair. "I should go, I have a class in ten minutes and I need to get my stuff together," he said, moving towards the door. "Thanks for your time."

"You know you're always welcome, don't hesitate to come and talk to me," he said, opening the door. Harry merely nodded in response and left, knowing that although he confided more in Remus than most people, he was unlikely to do so about the things that had been plaguing him for longer than he cared to think about. Some things you could only trust with your own mind.

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Draco woke to find that Harry had already left the Hospital Wing, though whether it was with Pomfrey's permission or not, he couldn't say. He briefly checked his appearance, noting how pinched his cheeks looked, drawn over high, well-defined cheekbones. Well, he thought, the emaciated look was bound to be popular somewhere; maybe he could put his mien down to being fashionable. He hadn't slept well and he knew from the restless turning of the boy in the neighbouring bed that Harry hadn't either. His discovery had hardly been one that warranted or constructed a peaceful night's sleep. He tried to push the memory of it from his consciousness as he descended the stairs; let Potter's fan club concern themselves with his well-being. He had bigger and uglier things to deal with than Harry Potter.

"Draco, I see you've made a full recovery," came Blaise's clear, crisp voice as Draco reached the bottom of the stairs outside the Great Hall.

"Blaise," Draco acknowledged, carrying on his way to the dungeons, hoping the brunette wouldn't follow him. The hope, however, was a foolish one, Draco realised, as Blaise fell into step beside him, joining him in the direction he was headed. "Blaise, did I miss the owl informing us that we were to have our own personal busybodies?" he asked testily.

"Draco, I'm merely walking down the common room to pick up my things for Transfiguration, I didn't realise it would cause you such offence," he replied smoothly. Draco simply rolled his eyes in response. "And how is Potter?"

"What do you care?" asked Draco, stopping to look at the other boy in frustration.

"I'm simply a curious person," he answered with a shrug.

"Don't I bloody know it," Draco muttered. "He's wonderful, bloody marvellous. There, happy now?"

"I'm neither happy nor displeased, merely informed," he replied, sweeping off down the corridor, leaving an infuriated Draco in his wake.

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Harry sat in Transfiguration, keeping his eyes firmly locked on the figure of McGonagall straight ahead of him. He was well aware that a pair of steel-grey eyes were boring into the back of his head, but he was damned if his own eyes were going to meet them. He had left the Hospital Wing at a ridiculously early hour in order to avoid another encounter with the Slytherin; he just wasn't prepared to deal with the repercussions of Malfoy knowing. He hadn't wanted _anyone_ to know, let alone his 'arch-nemesis' of the past seven years. It was _his_ secret, _his_ problem to deal with, he didn't need anyone else, he didn't want their looks, their words; all they would do would remind him that the situation was painfully real. He wanted to be able to forget, or at least _pretend_ to forget, but now Malfoy knew, it surely wouldn't be long before others would also.

"Now," came the shrill voice of his Head of House. "I'm sure I need not inform you all of the impending situation our world is facing, the threat from the Dark is growing with each day. With this in mind, the Headmaster has requested that tutelage should be offered to a group of selected students to equip them to learn how to become animagi, as he feels this is a skill more people should possess, as it can be a powerful weapon. This is the first year Hogwarts has ever offered this and must be taken extremely seriously. There is a piece of parchment making its way round to those students who have been chosen to take this course, if you wish to accept, please sign your name. I will warn you now, this will require extra lessons and much dedication; students who feel they are unwilling or unable to adhere to these conditions would be strongly advised to decline," she finished sternly.

Harry studied the parchment that had made its way in front of him. He'd always planned on learning anyway, but he'd always seen himself doing so with Ron and Hermione, unauthorised and secretly as his father and…the others had done. Well, he thought, as he signed his name, might as well do _something_ at Hogwarts that was within the rules. It was only when he handed the parchment over to Hermione did his brain register that Draco's name had been present on the list.

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**AN:** Well, hope you all liked, if you did please let me know with a REVIEW! I'd love to hear your comments, whatever they may be, but if you're going to criticise (which I don't mind), please do so constructively, I'll just ignore flames!


	6. Your Mournful Psyche

**AN:** Hey peeps, sorry I didn't get this chapter out last week, the muses had deserted me and I just couldn't finish it! Love and hugs to **XxRoGuExHeArTxX**, my absolutely wonderful BETA, who I couldn't live without, she's responsible for my fic actually making some sort of sense!

Also I'd like to thank everyone who r&r'd my one-shot **Wish for the Rain**, with it being one-shot it's hard to thank people, so if you did read it, I really appreciate all your comments! Look out for some more one-shots, I really enjoy writing them!

Also, just to let you know, whatever happens in HBP, I won't be changing this fic as my plot is already sorted and I can't fathom changing it at this point, so I hope you all won't mind carrying on regardless!

**Review responses:**

**shinoa Yuuki:** I know the whole Ginny/Snape thing is kind of unusual, but I quite like Hermione/Snape, and I can just see Ginny being more the kind of person to have that kind of relationship. Plus they're two of my fav characters so… Anyway, glad you like!

**TheSiner:** I don't really know whether or not you think the fic is good or bad, nevertheless, I took your advice!

**IrishEnchantress:** Wow! Thanks so much for your enthusiasm! Hope this chap lives up to your expectations!

**logi: **I find it a little overdramatic too, even though I _do_ read fics with it in! At this point I have no plans to include it, but the direction of the fic may change.

**Whatshername1:** Your name wasn't inspired by the Greenday song was it? If it was, go Greenday! Fantastic album! Anyway, the start of your review had me worried! Thanks for your comments!

**Holy Snappers: **I feel that way about chapters too, but unfortunately they _do_ end! I promise there will be _lots _of H/D action, I'm just trying not to rush it.

**yaoi-is-wowie21: **Glad you like different, so do I! You know it took me ages to decide what animals to make those guys, it drove me crazy actually! Hope you like when you find out!

**Vespalady:** Pace is always an issue with me and I try to keep it reasonable, but let me know if you think it's going too much either way.

**Lorena:** I promise there _will_ be much more H/D action to come as I balance it with the other relationships of the fic! Thanks for the compliment on my writing, and I'm glad to know I've got your curiosity! All will eventually be revealed!

Hope you like, let me know!

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"Harry? We're all heading down to get some breakfast, do you want to join us?" he heard Ginny's voice from the other side of his door.

"You guys go ahead, I'll be down in a few minutes," he told her.

"Make sure you are, if not, don't think I won't be back up here ready to drag you down!" she said with a light laugh before he heard her footsteps retreat down the stairs. He went back to viewing his reflection in the mirror. It wasn't something he did very often these days; he wished to avoid seeing what glared back at him. His eyes roved over the bruising, the scars; yes The-Boy-Who-Lived actually had more than one scar, he thought bitterly. Sighing, he shrugged a shirt over his thin frame, hiding the physical wounds from view. However, he knew from painful experience that the ones that ran far deeper could never be covered so easily, and no amount of time would ensure they faded.

He made his way down to the Great Hall and took his place at the Gryffindor table, giving his friends a weak smile before grabbing a piece of toast, one that they all knew he wouldn't finish. That was when it happened; he knew it would be a mistake to raise his eyes from the polished wood of the Gryffindor table and yet he did it anyway. That was when emerald met grey and once again time stood still. He had been aware of the fact that someone's eyes had been on him, it was hardly an alien feeling to The-Boy-Who-Spent-His-Life-In-The-Papers, but until he had raised his own eyes, he hadn't for a moment imagined it might be Malfoy's gaze he would be returning.

The blonde held his stare firmly, his expression telling Harry that he wouldn't be the one to look away first. Harry's jaw clenched of its own accord and he steeled himself. It had been the first time since the Hospital Wing that Harry had actually met the other boy's eyes; he'd gone out of his way to avoid him and now that had all been undone by one stupid glance. Malfoy's expression was unreadable but unwavering, determined not to break the eye contact between them. Harry however, was not so determined and he abruptly tore his eyes away, to bring them back once again to the Gryffindor table, trying to steady his breathing.

"You alright mate? You look like you've been run over by a hippogriff!" came Ron's voice.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine, just lost in my own world for a second," he said with a little smile, one he was happy to see the redhead return. "I'm just going to go to the library, there's some stuff I need to do before our first class. I'll see you in a bit," he said, rising from the table, relieved that they merely nodded and asked no questions; he was in no state to be dealing with anybody else's questions but his own.

"He seems…a bit better," Hermione ventured as she watched her friend move quietly from the Great Hall.

" 'Seems Madam, I know not 'seems' " Ron quoted, earning a loud giggle from Ginny. "Hey," he said with a light swat of her arm. "I can be cultured you know!" he said, feigning indignation.

"There's no way on this earth you would have even _heard_ of 'Hamlet' if you weren't dating Hermione, let alone be quoting from it! She's the one to thank for you being 'cultured'," Ginny returned, grinning at Hermione. "Nevertheless, I believe you had a point to make with your quotation?" she asked, becoming more serious.

"I actually _did_," Ron said, casting Ginny a fake glare. "The point I was _trying_ to make was that he may _seem_ better, but that doesn't necessarily mean he _is_. I know he won't talk to us, I've resigned myself to that now, but there's nothing to stop _me_ from talking to _him_, all he has to do is listen. I have a few things to say that he needs to hear," he said, now completely serious.

Ginny smiled up at her brother. She couldn't believe how much he had matured in the past year or so, but it had only served to make her love him more. Yes, he still had a tendency to be rather over-protective and hot-headed at times, but he had mellowed a lot and now thought things through before barging in feet first and regretting it later. He picked up on other people's feelings and now had the insightful perception of a man, not a boy, and while he was as passionate and fiery as ever, he was also calmer and more rational. Yes, she definitely liked the changes she had seen.

"You know, I'm still trying to figure out what you've done with my brother. I mean seriously, where did that guy go!" she asked teasingly.

"Oh he's still there, just get him angry enough," he said with a wink, rising from his seat. "I'm going to go find him, I'll see you two later," he said, exiting.

"I have to hand it to you Hermione, you've done what I thought no one could do; you've made him grow up," said Ginny, turning to face her friend.

"I wish I could take the credit!" Hermione said with a laugh. "He started changing before we began dating actually. I think he realised he couldn't go on the way he was, that, and maturity decided to hit him!"

"Well, either way I'm liking this new and improved brother."

"You and me both Gin, you and me both."

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Ron knew Harry hadn't gone to the library as he said he would. There was something about the bond of friendship that always allowed Ron to know when his friend was lying and this was one of those times. His instinct told him that the lake would be a good place to start his search, so that was where his feet took him. Sure enough, as he neared, he saw one lone figure, far too thin for its age, standing on the edge with its hands and its pockets and its eyes staring into the depths of the lake. Ron took a moment before speaking to study the boy in front of him, who was as of yet unaware of his presence. This boy had been his friend for seven years and he had never been closer to anyone in his life. He was, after all, 'the thing Harry would miss most', as the Triwizard Tournament had proved, and there was a bond, a link between them that meant both would be willing to go to the ends of earth for the other without question.

"You know," he began, suppressing a smile when Harry whirled around, looking shocked. "For someone who's supposed to be the one to kill Voldemort, I don't think much of your ability to lie; you're going to have to be sneakier than that if you want to kill the bastard."

"Ron," Harry ground out. "You almost gave me a sodding heart attack."

"Yeah well, just be glad I didn't push you in like I originally planned," he returned with a lopsided grin. "Hey, you're not going anywhere," he said, reaching out and grabbing Harry's arm as he saw the brunette was about to move away. "Not until I'm finished talking to you anyway."

"Ron, can we do this another time? I've just got some stuff on my mind at the moment," Harry said wearily, trying unsuccessfully to shake off Ron's grasp.

"Yeah, I'd kinda noticed you had 'stuff on your mind', and no, we can't do this another time, we're going to do this now," he said firmly, his eyes showing there was no room for debate. He looked Harry steadily in the eyes, sincerity and gravity etched into his features and said, "I love you, you do realise that right? You're my best friend in the entire world and practically my 6th brother. For my whole life at Hogwarts you've been there, always by my side, even when I was being a total prat. Harry I couldn't wish for a better friend. I care about you more than you'll probably ever know and I can't stand seeing you like this. But I know you're reluctant to confide in me or Hermione or even Ginny, I know you'd rather keep it all inside and deal with it yourself and I suppose there's not a whole lot that I can say to change your mind on that one. What I _can_ do though, is remind you that there are people who love you, and would support you until their very last breaths, people who would die for you in a heartbeat. You're not on your own, and don't you _ever_ think you are. I just...wanted you to know that," he finished, finally releasing Harry's arms, convinced that he wouldn't run away. He let out a sigh as he saw there were tears swimming in the other boy's eyes and gave soft laugh before pulling him into a hug. "Come on mate, don't go all weepy on me now. You're not telling me you can face Voldemort and grin about it, but you can't take a little heartfelt speech from your best friend!" he said, pleased that it drew out a laugh from the other boy; it was a sound that was becoming less and less common for the brunette.

"Of all the things I imagined you saying, _that_ was not one of them!" he said, as they separated.

"Yeah well, I like to be surprising," Ron said, grinning. "Listen, I meant it you know, every word. I don't expect you to open up if you don't want to. Some things I suppose you feel you just can't share with other people, but I want you to know that I'm here, however bad it is. I know I might not be able to understand fully, but I can listen, I can be there," he said genuinely.

"Thanks, I don't think I really deserve you," he said as they headed back up to the school.

"Ok, start with all that self-deprecating crap and I really _will_ throw you in the lake!"

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Ginny was a little uncertain of exactly what is was she was feeling as she made her way down to the Potions classroom. Her initial reaction had been confusion; confusion about why he was helping her, why she was letting him. The next had been anger; anger that he found out, that she had let him, that he'd seen her weakness. Last of all came resignation. Now as she stood outside his door, preparing to knock, she had no idea what it was she was feeling. Apprehension was probably the closest she could pinpoint it to, after all, she had no idea what he was going to do. She schooled her features into the daily mask and knocked, entering when she heard the clipped "Come in".

He was sitting at his desk going through a stack of papers, a frown on his face. Ginny hoped it wasn't her year's papers that had induced such a look. With a sigh he placed the last one on top of the pile and looked up at her, nodding to the chair to indicate for her to sit down.

"You're early," he observed.

"I've learnt it's safer to be early than to be late," she returned.

"I presume you wish to start immediately?" he asked, receiving a nod in reply. "Very well then. We have the Headmaster's permission to conduct this in my quarters, I felt it would be more suitable," he said, rising from his chair and moving over to the corner of the room where, for the first time in her six years at Hogwarts, Ginny noticed there was a door. She heard him murmur something and the door creaked slowly open. "We don't have all night, Miss Weasley," he reminded her silkily, and she joined him at the threshold, where he indicated for her to enter. She found herself in a kind of living room with two tall armchairs and a large fireplace, one that she was sure never accommodated a fire, but nevertheless held a drink's cabinet atop the mantelpiece. The walls were lined with books, ones that she wished she had time to peruse; she was sure they would be of some interest. The colour scheme was of course green and silver, but it was done tastefully and not too garishly. At the end of the room was another door; one that she supposed led to his bedchamber. "When you've quite finished appraising my quarters, we might begin. This is, after all, for your benefit," he said, moving in front of her.

"I was simply admiring your decorating skills, Professor," she returned smoothly, which earned her an eyebrow raised in warning, but she wasn't stupid, she knew not to cross the line. "What do I have to do?" she asked, steadying the rising tide of nerves that were threatening to hit her. She was pleased that neither her voice nor her face betrayed the fact that she was actually rather apprehensive about the whole thing.

"Lie down," he instructed. "I trust you don't mind the floor, but I felt the bed would be slightly inappropriate," he said, eliciting a soft laugh from her as she lay down on the floor. "If at any moment you feel unwilling to continue, you must say so," he told her as he knelt down beside her. She nodded, then frowned as she noticed he seemed to be hesitating somewhat.

"Professor if this requires you touching me you needn't worry, I won't scream rape!" she informed him, suddenly guessing the reason for his hesitation.

"One can never be too careful," he said gruffly, slowly placing his right hand over her heart and his left on her forehead. "Close your eyes," he directed, and she did so, feeling her chest rise and fall under his palm. "I want you to concentrate on that night you were taken into the chamber, remember everything, _feel_ it, let the memory take you over…" then his words melted into a language she faintly remembered from somewhere, but for the life of her couldn't think where.

Things suddenly began to drift into focus, edges became sharper and painful realisation hit; she was back in the Chamber. It was exactly as she remembered it, dark, dank, threatening and there, waiting for her, just as he did before, was Tom. His handsome face was fixed into a smile, one that was warm and inviting, but all it made her want to do was turn and run in the opposite direction. He took a few graceful steps towards her, closing off the distance between them and ran one long finger down her cheek, a parody of a caress.

"Ginny," he whispered; she had to fight to suppress a shudder. "You've finally come to me. I've waited so long and now you're finally here. My faithful servant, a willing vessel for me to pour all my desires and commands into. You'd do anything I asked, wouldn't you?" and with that he brought his lips crashing down on hers, bruising them painfully. That was all she needed to come back to herself. He'd caught her for a moment, for a second there she'd gone back to being the scared little first year with no voice, an instrument for him to use. But she wasn't that girl anymore, and she wouldn't be used again. She wrenched herself away from him and pushed him from her, allowing herself the feeling of triumph upon seeing the shocked look on his face.

"Not anymore, Tom," she said steadily. "I'm no longer your pawn, you can't just do with me what you will. I was a child when you took me before, innocent and easily manipulated. Well I've grown up since then, the innocence has been lost and I won't let you control me again."

"You think you can stop me?" he asked with a sneer, distorting his once handsome face.

"I know I can," she replied levelly, her fear beginning to subside as she felt her strength grow. "Leave me, just go, you're just not worth it anymore. I won't waste my energy on you, I won't live my life by your rules anymore,"

"You don't have a choice in that," he hissed, but Ginny could sense the uncertainty in his voice; he knew he was now fighting a losing battle.

"It's been years, Tom," she said, gathering up the courage the address him by his true name; somehow it made him seem far more insignificant, more human and vulnerable. "Let me go," she said slowly.

"Never," he snarled. "I'll always be with you, Ginny, always."

"Let me go!" she screamed, and she felt the atmosphere shatter around her, she saw the look of horror and fury on Tom's face and she felt the sudden surge of relief and freedom that coursed through her entire body. She came back to herself with a sharp jolt and bolted upright into a sitting position, her breathing harsh and ragged, sweat dripping down her forehead. As her eyes slowly came back into focus, she cast a shaky look over to her Potions professor, who was kneeling beside her, a steadying hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry Miss Weasley, maybe I shouldn't have –"

"No," she cut him off. "No, it was the best thing you could have done. Am I…am I free of him?" she asked tentatively, trying to control her shaking body.

"Given his power I would say not, _but," _he added, seeing that she was about to protest. "If you continue with these sessions, then I see no reason why you should not be free of him in the near future," he said. She nodded her head, then decided the move had been unwise as she began to feel decidedly dizzy. "Can you stand?" he asked.

"I…might need a little help," she said with a smile, taking the arm he offered her as he led her over to one of the tall armchairs.

He went over to the drinks cabinet and pulled out a bottle of Firewhisky and two shot glasses. Filling them both, he walked back and handed one to her. "Here, I think you need this," he said with a smirk. She took it from him and downed it in one, almost laughing out loud at the barely concealed look of surprise Snape held upon seeing she neither coughed nor flinched at the taste. "I don't think I shall inquire as to where you acquired your drinking habits, Miss Weasley," he said with a raised eyebrow.

"I would prefer it if you didn't, Professor," she replied with a smirk, starting to feel a little better as the liquid blazed a trail down her throat to settle warmly in the pit of her stomach. "Sir," she ventured, suddenly remembering something from before she was forced into her own memories. "The language you spoke when you were sending me into my mind, it wasn't…"

"Wasn't what, Miss Weasley?" he asked, looking at her over the rim of his glass. Something told him she already knew full well the answer to the question she was about to ask.

"The language of the Circle?" she asked, meeting his eyes directly, her sharp mind already beginning to turn. He visibly tensed and she watched as he set his glass down, leaning back in his chair to gain a better look at her. With his brow furrowed, he said,

"Miss Weasley, I'm curious as to the extent of you knowledge of the Circle,"

"Well like I said before Professor, I read a lot. I've picked up certain things about it; its history, traditions, initiations, Clans, bits and pieces of the language, maxims, ethics – "

"So not much then?" he interjected sardonically.

"I also happen to know that only a member of a Clan of the Circle of the Fianna can speak the language; if that were true Sir, that would mean that _you_ belonged to the Circle," she said slowly, unsure of how he would react to the claim. If she was right…she was beginning to see her Potions Master in all sorts of new lights.

"Yes, it would mean that wouldn't it?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, trying to keep his face impassive; he knew he could say nothing to dissuade her from probing further. He watched as her features suddenly displayed a kind of accepted realisation and in that moment he knew that his secret was out.

"You're a Keeper," she breathed, and it wasn't a question. Before he could either confirm or deny her claim, she said, "But that would mean that you have a – "

"Yes Miss Weasley," he cut her off, his voice somewhat resigned; he knew there was no way he could convince her that her guess was incorrect. Were she another student, then perhaps it might be possible, but no, this was Ginny Weasley, and it would take Voldemort and Grindleward **(AN: I don't think that's the other evil wizard's name, but I couldn't remember it, so please don't kill me!)** combined to persuade her to change her mind once it was decided upon something.

"But…_who_?" she asked, her eyes wide in amazement and confusion.

"Can you really not even hazard a guess?" he asked with a small sneer.

She paused for a moment and he watched as her brows furrowed together in deep thought, ticking off members of the student body. He knew her next guess would be correct as her eyes widened again and her mouth formed a small 'O' of surprise and disbelief. "Not Harry?" she asked, as if she was willing it not to be true. Against his better judgement, he nodded in the affirmative and she slumped back in her chair as if the wind had been knocked out of her. "I think Professor, another shot of Firewhisky might be in order."

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Draco stood off to one side as he listened to his Transfiguration teacher repeat the point she had been making all evening. Having heard it so many times, Draco found he was simply tuning it out as his slate eyes surveyed the classroom. This was the group that had been chosen to learn how to become animagi, and he had to admit, some of the best had been chosen. It was a Friday evening; they had all been informed that the extra lessons would take place on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons, and much study in between would be required. He didn't mind that, it would give him something else to occupy his somewhat troubled mind with.

Truth be told, it had been occupied a lot lately with a certain Gryffindor whom Draco would much rather push out of his mind altogether. Of course, upon thinking that, his eyes automatically went over to Potter, who was sitting a couple of seats down from him, head down, taking down notes. Well, what one would loosely deem 'notes'; what Potter was scribbling could have qualified for one of Snape's crueller essay assignments. He'd never even seen _Granger_ take that many notes before. This was obviously something the Gryffindor was taking very seriously.

They had had no altercations or encounters of any kind since that night in the Hospital Wing, although he _had_ briefly caught Potter's eyes at breakfast a couple of mornings ago. He was more than certain that the other boy was going out of his way to avoid him, and while that normally would have pleased the blond, he now found it a little worrying. He had seen the bruises, and there was no way in hell that he bought Potter's lame excuse of 'falling down the stairs'; he might as well have said that he had 'walked into a door'. That boy really did need to adopt some Slytherin cunning if he expected to survive. But where on earth would Potter receive bruises and markings like _that_? It just didn't make any sense; why did the wizarding world's Golden Boy look as though he had been beaten for a significant part of his life?

Sensing that he was being watched, Harry turned round and once again, emerald met grey in an intense gaze. Draco raised an eyebrow, as if daring Harry to look away. Harry frowned, thrown at not seeing the expected smirk or sneer, but rather a kind of pensive, appraising look, one that he wouldn't usually attribute to the blond. Draco's eyes held nothing to betray what he was feeling, they were just deep pools of grey that Harry thought it would be quite possible to lose oneself in. Feeling decidedly uncomfortable and confused, Harry broke the eye contact, and returned to his notes, concentrating hard on what McGonagall was saying. He tried to ignore the feeling of eyes boring into his skull.

"As with many Transfiguration spells, you need to fully understand the theory behind the animagus transformation before you can even began to attempt to master it. On the board is a list of recommended reading and I strongly advise you all to read at least the first three of the six books mentioned. This will hold you in good stead for the more practical work to come and will equip you with the necessary understanding of how the transformation takes place. Now, after this introductory session, if there are any students who feel that this will be too much to cope with or too much extra pressure, I urge you to remove your name from the course. From here on in it will be very difficult, and I warn you, I will expect no less than 100 dedication and commitment," McGonagall informed them sternly, her sharp eyes scanning every student before her. Most were members of the D.A, with a few exceptions and, surprisingly, a few Slytherins. "Very well then, you may go. I expect you all to have done some reading by this time next week and to at least understand the basics," she called out as they trudged out of the classroom, some with their spirits considerably dampened.

"She wasn't joking when she said it would be hard," said Ron as he, Harry and Hermione joined the group of students leaving the Transfiguration classroom. "Still, she was right, it will be a useful weapon to have, we _should_ be learning."

"I'm looking forward to seeing what my animal form will be," said Hermione with a smile as Ron's arms fell naturally around her shoulders. "Not too dissimilar to my patronus I shouldn't wonder."

"Not necessarily," Harry answered, though his full attention was not entirely devoted to his friend, but rather was focused on a certain blond-haired Slytherin not too far up ahead. "The animal you transform into reflects something deep within you, your patronus is a symbol of what makes you feel safe, protected. The two aren't always connected," he said, then asked "What?" upon seeing the surprised look on his friends' faces.

"_Someone's_ been studying," said Ron with a grin.

"I want to do well on the N.E.W.Ts, thought I'd take leaf out of 'Mione's book and start early," he said with a shrug.

"Well I'm glad one of you listens to me from time to time," she said, rolling her eyes. "I _do_ make good points you know!"

"Yes dear, of course you do," said Ron, giving her a pat on the head, which she swatted away fiercely.

"I'm going to head down to the Quidditch pitch for some fresh air, I'll see you guys later," Harry said, heading in another direction to his friends.

"You want some company?" Ron shouted after him.

"I'll manage on my own," he replied, not looking back, carrying on his way to the pitch. Ron was right; he _had_ been studying more, ridiculously so in fact. Truth be told, he was trying desperately to fill up his mind with something, _any_thing that would stop him from thinking about all the things he would rather not. First and foremost of course, was the fact that Draco had seen his bruises. In one swift moment that had felt like an eternity to Harry, the secret he had guarded for years had been uncovered, by the one person who he wished above all others would never know.

Draco's reaction had actually deeply surprised Harry. There had been no smirks, no sneers, no clever comments or jibes. In fact Draco had actually looked…well maybe _concerned_ was pushing it a little, but he certainly hadn't been the prat Harry had expected him to be. He was aware that the blond had changed, maybe almost as much as _he_ had, that much had been apparent from the start of term. But he didn't realise he had changed _that_ much, enough to make him seem almost human. Harry was curious to know exactly what had evoked such a dramatic transformation.

"Potter," came a sharp voice, and Harry turned round to find himself standing face to face with none other than the object of his present musings.

"Malfoy," he said carefully, unsure of the reason for Malfoy approaching him. "Something I can do for you?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady even though his heart was pounding. Why did that boy always elicit such a response from him?

"Not particularly," Draco replied with a shrug, turning to face out across the lake.

Harry frowned; this was almost amiable. Something was very wrong.

"Look Malfoy," he said, unable to bear the thoughts in his head any longer. "If you say anything – "

"What, about the fact that Dumbledore's Golden Boy looks as though he's gone one on one with a herd of dragons? I have no intention of shouting that from the rooftops anytime soon, believe me," Draco replied, still keeping his gaze averted.

"Good," Harry replied, a little thrown that he didn't have to beg, persuade, cajole or even plead the blond to keep his secret.

"But know this, Potter," he said, finally looking at Harry and stepping a little closer. "I don't buy that bullshit about falling down the stairs for one second, and sooner or later, people _will_ find out, so you'd better have thought of a better lie by then. I'm sure there are quite a few people who won't be as obliging as I am, and will most certainly not keep quiet. Though, who could blame them?" Draco asked cryptically and Harry's brow furrowed in confusion, trying to determine exactly what it was Draco was saying. "If I were you I'd get it sorted. There's bound to be someone who understands," he said and walked off, leaving Harry feeling ten times worse than he originally had done. What in the name of Merlin was Draco playing at?

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**AN:** Hope you all liked, if you did, remember…review, review, review! Love you all!


	7. Sweet Unrest

**AN:** Hey peeps, nice to see you again, well you know what I mean. Well I finished HBP the day I got it, which was the day it came out – what did we all think? Obviously I'm disappointed about a lot of things, but I suppose it can't be helped. As said previously though, I won't be changing this fic to fit around it, it just wouldn't work, so I hope you all won't mind just pretending like HBP never happened!

Big thanks as always to **XxRoGuExHeArTxX** my absolutely wonderful BETA, without whom I couldn't live without! Seriously hun, you're a star! Also, I'd like to address an issue that **Nerfi-Tiri **made in her review – if you're all a little confused about the last chapter's interaction between Ginny and Snape, don't worry! You're not supposed to know at this point what they're going on about, just know that Ginny now knows his secret and so will you soon! All will become clear about the Circle of the Fianna as well!

Also, if anyone can tell me where the chapter titles come from, I'll give you a spoiler from a later chapter!

**Review Responses:**

**Whatshername1:** Ah Greenday, absolute legends! Glad you're enjoying the fic, hope you stay with it!

**IrishEnchantress:** As requested, more Ginny/Snape action! Glad to have found another shipper, there aren't that many of us out there! I hope the fic continues to live up to your expectations.

**Arica, Princess of Rivendell:** Sorry hun, but they _will_ be gay in this fic, I'm an H/D shipper. Hope this doesn't put you off reading the fic.

**Nerfi-Tiri:** As I said earlier, it definitely isn't you! All will become clear in due time I promise! I can't believe English isn't your first language! Your review sounded so English, if that makes sense! Hope you keep reading.

Enjoy…..

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"Malfoy wait!" Harry said, running after the blond and grabbing his arm, turning him round to face him. "What did you mean by that?" he asked, trying to read the look in Draco's eyes but failing.

"What did I mean by what?" Draco asked awkwardly.

"What you said back there!" Harry said in frustration.

"For Merlin's sake Potter let me go!" Draco said, shrugging himself out of Harry's somewhat firm grasp. "If you really must know, what I meant was that you should go and talk to someone about whatever the hell's going on with you, tell someone about how you got those bruises! I'm sure there are plenty of people lined up to help the great Boy-Who-Lived with whatever personal problems he must have, and by the looks of it, you have several!" Draco said heatedly.

"Why the hell do you care, Malfoy? Why should it matter to you?" Harry asked, his own anger growing with Draco's interference.

"It doesn't, I don't!" Draco returned, becoming slightly agitated with the way things were going. "Look Potter, all I was saying was that you should go and get this sorted, it's obviously affecting you," he finished, his eyes flashing.

"And what the hell does that mean?" Harry asked, trying to gain some sort of control of his anger. Only around Draco were such feelings and responses drawn from him; with anyone else he could remain as distant and neutral as he could.

"I've seen you these past few months, you don't talk to your friends, though who could blame you," he added snidely. "You barely eat, you constantly have your nose in a book and you look like death!"

"You've just described yourself Malfoy!" Harry shot back, utterly disbelieving that Draco could be so hypocritical to berate him for behaving in exactly the same way he had been. "So what's your excuse then? Why is it you've been cutting yourself off from everyone and everything? Have you finally realised that the world isn't so easy when Daddy isn't around?"

"Don't mention my father, Potter, I'm warning you," Draco hissed, stepping closer to Harry. "That's got nothing to do with you, you don't have the first clue about it."

"Well then back off from me! I don't need you telling me to get this sorted; I've dealt with it perfectly well on my own all these years so I don't need your interference!" he said, and both boys fell silent, waves of emotion radiating off them through the stillness of their surroundings. They both held the other's eyes, but they weren't glaring, just fiercely appraising each other.

"Look Potter," Draco began quietly, as the silence became too much. "I didn't come out here for an argument believe it or not. To be honest I'm not entirely sure why I _did_ come out here, but all I'll say is that some things you can't deal with on your own, sometimes you have to ask for help."

"Why don't you heed your own advice some time?" Harry asked sullenly, averting his eyes to the scuffed toe of his shoe. "You're hardly joining the outreach programme are you?" he said somewhat bitterly.

"Just fix it, Potter," he said, sounding almost tired. "Before it becomes irreparable," and with that, he walked off, leaving one very confused and bewildered young man, who this time, did not attempt to follow him.

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Harry sat in the library, a long-forgotten Transfiguration textbook open in his lap, his eyes staring blankly off into the distance, fixed on some non-existent spot. He knew Hermione would have something to say about his absence from dinner; but he really wasn't in the mood for company and, more importantly, he really wanted to avoid the scrutinising and somewhat captivating gaze of Draco Malfoy. His mind kept insisting on re-playing the previous day's conversation, and each time he became more and more agitated by Draco's strange behaviour. It had confused him, angered him, and simply caught him off guard.

He shut his book with a sigh, resigning himself to the fact that nothing was going to sink in whilst all he could think of was Draco sodding Malfoy. He hadn't realised the blond had noticed his behaviour so closely; that he'd watched him closely enough to notice his strange behaviour. Though, Harry thought, _he_ had seen it happen in Malfoy; it seemed they had both been paying rather close attention to other, perhaps without fully realising it. It had been strange to partake in something that vaguely resembled a normal conversation with the Slytherin. Although the topic was hardly one of genial discussion, and Draco managed to get in a few snide comments, there was no hexing, no throwing of Unforgivables, and no seething feelings of hatred.

While Draco had managed to gather some clues regarding the reasons behind Harry's strange behaviour, Harry himself was as clueless as ever about what might be affecting the other boy. He seemed to have a struck a nerve when he mentioned Draco's father; actually that had been the second time he had managed to do that. Maybe Lucius was a factor in all of this, though Harry couldn't see how. What part could he have to play in the situation?

"Just forget about it!" he sternly told himself. "What do you care anyway? It's only Malfoy," he thought, though he wasn't convincing himself one bit. He sighed again and looked through his notes. Well, what one might loosely term 'notes'.

"Mr Potter, your sighs can be heard ringing throughout the entire library," came the stern voice of his Potions Master, and Harry turned around to face him.

"Sorry Sir, just…thinking," Harry said, surprised that his professor hadn't greeted him with the usual sneer that was reserved especially for him.

"Well perhaps you could so a little more quietly," said Snape with a raised eyebrow.

"I'll try Sir…was there something else?" he asked when he saw Snape was still hovering over him.

"The headmaster feels that it would be extremely beneficial if you were to continue your Occlumency lessons with me. Whilst the thought does not exactly fill me with extreme pleasure, I have agreed, and your lessons will commence on Saturday afternoon. I warn you now Potter, I will not accept the standard of previous years. If you undertake this you do so in all seriousness, and you must commit yourself to it. I will not have half-hearted attempts or endless failures due to lack of practice or dedication, do you understand?" he asked severely.

"Yes sir," Harry said quietly. This was shaping up to be one hell of a year, he thought wryly.

"I realise that you are also learning animagus transformation and have your N.E.W.Ts coming up, but I would be very disappointed if a boy of your capabilities could not manage the tasks set to him," he said, sweeping away, only stopping to say, "Oh and tell Miss Weasley to come and see me tomorrow."

Harry could only nod mutely; he was in far too much shock. Snape had actually given him a compliment – 'a boy of your capabilities', what the hell was the world coming to? He could not be more confused or bewildered with the present goings-on if he tried.

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"Draco," came Pansy's cool, detached voice as she walked up behind him and slinked in between the sofas to sit down opposite him. "I trust you're well?" she asked, her poise perfect from years of training. Pansy, like her mother, was an incredibly dangerous woman, one who would stop at nothing to make her way to the top. She had no loyalties, probably not even to her own family, and she was ruthlessly ambitious. In short, she was a bitch.

"Thank you, Pansy, I'm in excellent health," he returned, his own years of training kicking in.

"Well that's good. Given your recent behaviour I had been led to believe differently," she replied smoothly, an entirely insincere smile gracing her perfectly made-up lips.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," he said, trying to remain as civil as possible, which was incredibly difficult given the fact that he would like nothing more than to scratch the girl's eyes out with her own false nails. She simply gave a little smirk in response.

"I trust you'll be attending our annual Yule party. I know it's early to ask, but we _do_ like to make sure our invitations are made in good time. Your parents will, of course, already have received the formal one."

"I'm sure we'd be delighted."

"Ah Blaise," she said as he joined them, sitting next to Draco. "I was just discussing our annual Yule Ball, should I expect to see you and your family there?" she asked, though her tone was perhaps a little cooler than it had been when addressing Draco.

"My dear Pansy, one should never expect anything." She gave a little titter, but it was the kind that was clearly borne of practice and not amusement.

"Well until you confirm otherwise, I shall hope to see you there. Now if you'll both excuse me, I have some correspondence I must catch up on," she said, rising from her seat and strutting off to the girls' dorms in what she probably hoped was a highly seductive manner.

"No doubt informing her mother of the goings-on here," said Blaise, lounging in the sofa, watching her go.

"Indeed," said Draco, he knew all too well how up-to-date Pansy kept her mother.

"Never was there a mother and daughter more dangerous. She's one to be watched," Blaise warned. Draco hadn't the energy to inform him that making that point to him was like telling a fish that they were a little bit screwed on dry land. In truth, his mind had been occupied with a certain raven-haired Gryffindor all day, and he was finding it extremely hard to divert his mind to anything else. He kept replaying the confrontation they had had the other day; how he had told Potter to get himself sorted, how he had practically told him that he had been watching his behaviour and the way he had been deteriorating as the weeks passed. It had been stupid, but at the time it had made perfect sense. He didn't know why, but it mattered to him that the boy sorted himself out; it wasn't exactly pleasant to see him in the state he now was. Although, Draco mused, his own was not wholly different. As Potter had pointed out, he too was fighting his own battle and was unwilling to seek help from anyone to assist him.

"Draco? Are you listening?" came Blaise's cool, crisp tones.

"Hmm? Oh sorry," he said, shaking himself from his thoughts. "I was just thinking," he finished quietly.

"About anything in particular?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

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The Slytherin common room held no release for Draco. Unfortunately neither did the lake, or the Quidditch pitch, or several of the abandoned classrooms, so he simply decided to wander the hallways, thankful that many of the students were otherwise occupied, leaving them free and empty. No one ever managed to get beneath his skin like Potter did, no one ever managed to ignite those unreachable sparks like he did. It infuriated him no end. Upon his seventh circuit of the castle he decided he was going to kill him, slowly and painfully.

"Malfoy!" Wonderful. Why was it the objects of his thoughts always had to appear when he least wanted them to?

"What now, Potter?" he asked, turning slowly to face the brunette who was striding down the corridor towards him, a determined expression on his face. "Come to regale me with another of your deep, dark secrets?"

"No," said Harry, his face darkening.

"Then why are you here, chasing after me?"

"I wasn't chasing after you, I was already walking down…ugh that's not the point!" he said in frustration, wishing greatly that he could wipe the smirk of Draco's face. "I wanted to talk to you," he said, taking a deep breath to calm himself.

"I gathered that much," Draco replied, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Seeing the look on Potter's face, and still battling with his own feelings, he sighed and said, "Fine, talk,"

Harry, not expecting Draco to give in so easily, took a moment to gather his thoughts. He wasn't sure exactly what he was going to say, but when he had seen Draco roaming the halls, he hadn't been able to resist the urge to go after him and finish the conversation they had started. Now, the words seemed unwilling to make their way from his head to his mouth. "It's about earlier," he started slowly, testing out the ground. "I want to know why you came out to talk to me, I want to know what the hell's going on," he said, feeling the emotions that yesterday's encounter had fired stir again.

"Potter, do you honestly think I have a single clue about what's going on!" Draco asked, also beginning to feel his own frustration surface once more. "I don't have the first idea why I followed you out to the lake yesterday, I don't have the first idea why I said what I did, I don't know why I care but I do!" he said, and almost immediately regretted the words the moment they left his mouth.

"You shouldn't," Harry replied, his voice low, but betraying the loss of control he was coming close to. "You should just forget that you ever saw anything."

"I can't!" Draco yelled, highly agitated. "I can't forget what I saw, I can't forget the zombie who's taken your place since the start of term and for some bloody reason I can't get you out of my head!"

"Well try harder,"

"Dammit I can't!" he yelled, grabbing fistfuls of the Gryffindor's robes and pushing him against the wall. Harry could feel Draco's warm breath on his cheek and the heat radiating off his body, a body that was pushed up against his own, pressing him against the wall. Draco's hands were on his chest and Draco could feel Harry's quickened heartbeat under his right palm, one that was perfectly in rhythm with his own. They were so close that their noses actually grazed each other as Draco stared intensely into Harry's eyes, not being able to stop himself from being pleased when he saw that they were no longer dull and lifeless, but vibrant and alive. He had to wonder though what the exact reason for that was; it might have been the same reason why Draco found his breathing becoming harsher and ragged as he felt Harry move beneath his hold. "Don't you think I've tried to remove you from my head, Potter?" he practically whispered. "Believe me, it's not easy."

It would have been so easy just then for the slightest of contact to be made between them. Draco's mouth was dangerously close to Harry's, the bare whisper of air separating them threatening to dissolve as Draco pinned him closer to the wall. But whatever might have happened never did as the door to Snape's office opened, and he glided out, watching with a strange expression as the two boys practically jumped apart from each other.

"I do hope there's no trouble here," he said silkily.

"No sir, we were just ironing out a few things," said Draco, the first to recover from being caught in a somewhat compromising position.

"I see," said Snape, obviously believing not a word. "Well I would prefer it if you did so in another part of the castle and at a time when Mr Potter does not have an appointment to keep with me. Inside now Potter," he said, jerking his head in the direction of his office.

"Yes sir," said Harry, doing as he was told, but not before shooting Draco one last look over his shoulder and unconsciously licking his lips.

"On your way Mr Malfoy, I'm sure there will be ample opportunities to 'iron things out' with Mr Potter," said Snape.

"Let's hope so," Draco muttered to himself, before realising what it was he actually said.

"Punctual as ever I see, Potter," Snape said sarcastically as he swept into the potions classroom. Harry wisely withheld the equally sarcastic reply that had readied itself on the tip of his tongue. "I hope you have prepared yourself for this lesson, I warned you that I will not tolerate lack of commitment or effort," he said, placing himself behind his desk.

"Yes sir," Harry replied, he was in no mood to argue after what had just happened with Draco.

"Right then, prepare yourself, Potter – Legilimens!"

Harry concentrated hard on building barriers round his mind, trying desperately to block out the probing waves of magic that were trying to seek out flaws in his defences. He pushed away all the thoughts and memories he wanted to no one to see, least of all Snape, and locked them tightly away. He was doing well, but he was also tiring. It was powerful magic, and a fight against something that strong could be incredibly wearing on the one defending themselves from it. He felt the walls start to slip and visions of memories both old and new began to swim before his eyes.

He saw himself as a scrawny eleven-year-old being told by Hagrid that he was in fact a wizard, his first Quidditch match, the first patronus he conjured. He watched as the many encounters with Voldemort played before his mind, and he saw, with horror, his time with the Dursleys. 'No,' he thought. 'You can't see that.' And just as he was about to relive a rather potent memory that involved his uncle and a couple of broken ribs, he pushed Snape forcefully from his mind and snapped back to himself, the classroom coming back into focus.

He let his eyes linger elsewhere for a moment before bringing them up to meet Snape's own. The sneer or smirk or look of disdain he was expecting was strangely absent. Instead, Snape was eyeing him with a serious, almost angry expression that made no sense whatsoever to Harry. "What was that last memory, Potter?" he asked sharply.

"Nothing. Nothing that concerns you…sir," he added as an afterthought. "It was just…a memory," he finished quietly.

"Yes, I had rather gathered that much," Snape said agitatedly. He looked as though he was going to press the matter further, but instead, to Harry's relief, he simply said, "You have improved slightly since your last attempts, but you are still letting me get in too easily. You weaken too quickly; you must build up your defences and your energy reserves so that both are strong enough to withstand penetration. Now, again,"

And so it continued, though fortunately Snape was not able to access any other particular memories to do with Harry's home life. He did manage to glimpse several others though, including, rather embarrassingly, his earlier confrontation with Draco in the hallway. He had felt his cheeks burn at that particular memory and thanked whatever gods that had decided to be merciful that Snape made no comment on it. Considering he was rather out of practice and he had only a day to prepare, his skills had improved greatly and weren't as lamentable as Snape had believed them to be, making him think that perhaps there was some hope there after all.

"Very well Mr Potter, I think that's enough for today," said Snape as Harry ran an exhausted hand through his already dishevelled hair. "It could have been better, a lot better, but all things considered, I suppose it was a fair attempt," he conceded.

"Thank you sir, shall I come back same time next week?"

Snape nodded and Harry made for the door, relishing the thought of escaping to his room and catching up on some much needed rest. This Elysium was to be denied to him for a few moments more however, as Snape stopped him on his way out of the door, saying, "I'm not a fool Mr Potter, I know what I saw in that memory."

"Sir?" Harry said, feigning ignorance.

"Do not think I have forgotten or am likely to forget any time soon," he warned, meeting Harry's eyes slowly and deliberately. "You may go."

"Thank you sir," said Harry, trudging out of the classroom. Wonderful, another interfering Slytherin to deal with.

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As instructed, Ginny made her way down to the Potions classroom on Sunday evening, altogether unsure of why she had been summoned. Her mind had been turning over the information she had received on Friday night and was still finding it difficult to process the whole thing. She had hardly been able to look Harry in the eye since, terrified that he would see something in her face that betrayed the secret she was holding. She knew it was impossible, unless she or Snape told him, there was no way he would know, but still, she was worried all the same.

She knocked on the door, entering when she was told to do so. She moved up to his desk and took a seat in the chair that was already waiting for her. He looked up from the work he was marking and said, "Very well then Miss Weasley, you will carry on with your research on the properties of dragon scale poison. The books are over there," he said, indicating to the precariously balanced pile of books.

She had to actually shake her head to make sure that she had had heard correctly. Was he really just going to pretend that she knew nothing? Was he just going to attempt to carry on as if nothing had been said, as if she hadn't uncovered the most earth-shattering revelation? "Sir," she said slowly, making him look up at her. "Aren't we going to talk about what happened…the other night?" she asked tentatively.

"There's nothing further to discuss," he said brusquely.

"How can you say that?" she asked incredulously. "There's more to discuss than we'll ever have time for!"

"Miss Weasley you are forgetting yourself," he warned.

"I don't care!" she said, rising from her seat. "I want to know whether or not you're going to tell Harry. I mean, you'll have to won't you?"

"That is none of your concern Miss Weasley," he said, also rising from his seat, his voice holding a warning tone.

"Yes it is, you shouldn't have told me if you didn't want me to become involved. Surely you knew that I wouldn't just let this drop!"

"I didn't exactly 'tell' you now did I Miss Weasley? You simply made a number of accurate guesses due to the fact that you seem to have a wealth of knowledge you shouldn't! I trust that you have sense enough to leave the matter as it is and realise that interference could cause more harm than good. I'm sure you appreciate that the situation is an extremely delicate one and you must trust that I know best how to handle it." Ginny couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that comment; Snape wasn't exactly renowned for his handling of delicate matters. "I do not wish to discuss it further. Now, I believe you have work to do," he said, once again indicating the pile of books that awaited her.

"Fine," she said, moving over to them. "But don't think for one moment that that's the end of it," she added quietly, but loud enough so that she knew he had heard her. There was no way she was going to just be a good little girl and let the matter lie, and if he thought she would, then he was in for a big disappointment.

He withheld the retort that he was preparing to give, knowing it would have no effect whatsoever on her; it was simply impossible to intimidate, frighten, offend or discourage the girl. He wasn't sure whether it impressed or infuriated him. At this point he was simply glad she had let it rest for the time being; he was in no mood to discuss the very thing that plagued the majority of his thoughts, both waking and sleeping.

She examined the spines of the books, scanning their titles, then picked a rather large tome entitled _'Subtleties and Arts of Rarely Used Ingredients'_ and settled down to study it. Though she was determined to keep her mind focused on the task that had been set to her, she couldn't help but glance up at her Potions Master now and then in between writing notes. He was examining various liquids and substances in transparent vials and whilst there was a look of concentration on his face, Ginny could also tell that there was something more behind his expression, something she was sure had nothing to do with the work they were doing.

"Miss Weasley, I would work better if I were not under constant surveillance; I can feel your gaze from all the way across the room," he said, not looking up at her.

"I apologise, Professor," she said, not in the least embarrassed at being caught studying him.

"Is your work not interesting enough?" he asked disdainfully.

"No it's very interesting, it's just that other things are more so," she replied pointedly and he had to look up at that point. "Will you tell him?" she asked softly, hoping that a change of approach might induce a response from him.

He sighed and lowered the vial of crushed faerie wings. If it were any other student he would simply have told them to remove themselves from his office, but knowing her, she would probably set up camp outside his door until she got the answer she was looking for. "Yes Miss Weasley," he said almost tiredly. "I will tell him. But it will be at a time when _I_ deem right."

She looked contemplative for a moment, then placed her book on the table, marking the page that she was on, and rose from her chair to come and sit in the one next to his desk. He made no comment about this, but simply sat in silence as she sat looking at him, her brow creased in thought and her eyes searching. "I can't imagine what this must be like for you," she said softly after a while. "Oh I know you don't want pity or sympathy and I'm offering you none," she said, second-guessing his reply. "I'm merely trying to fathom the complexities of the whole situation. It _is_ rather unique."

"Indeed it is. Miss Weasley – "

"If you're about to warn me not to breathe a word of this to anyone, you needn't insult my intelligence, sir," she said, cutting him off. "I'm perfectly aware of the need for secrecy." He raised an eyebrow and nodded, satisfied with her answer to the remark he never got to make.

She looked thoughtful for a moment, then gave a small nod of her head as if to show she was content to let it lie for the time being. "I found a few things you might find interesting sir," she said, retrieving her notes from her work area. He silently thanked the gods for the change of subject. "It says that in medieval medicines, dragon scale poison was often used to treat women in childbirth who experienced a dramatic loss of blood. Now, I might be off target here, but I think that when combined with something like Railey's blood strengthening potion, we might be able to steady the effects of the curse if, as you say, it devastates the body so. It would stop the flow of blood and also add extra strength to it, allowing clotting and a build up of antibodies. I know it seems like a long-shot, but it couldn't hurt to try."

And so they did try; several times and well in to the early hours of the morning. Both came up with many and varied theories and all were tried and tested; some successful, some less so. By the end of it they were left with something that built up the blood's strength and ability by about 50 percent, something they were both very pleased with.

"Well Miss Weasley I would say that that was a rather productive night," he said as he began to tidy away the apparatus he had been using. He only allowed her to watch and take notes on the brewing, as he was unsure as to how volatile the mixture would be and she didn't have the knowledge to know how to properly make it. "Miss Weasley?" he said upon receiving no answer. He turned around and saw that she had fallen asleep over her notes, her quill still poised in her hand and her head resting gently upon her other arm. There was look of exhaustion across her features, but a kind of satisfied exhaustion, one that came from a good night's work and rewarded effort. A lock of auburn hair fell across her forehead and she stirred lightly in her sleep as it tickled her. Sighing, he moved over to her and gave her shoulder a gentle shake. "Miss Weasley I think you should return to the Tower now," he said softly. She simply moved a little closer but didn't wake. He rolled his eyes and knelt down beside her, brushing the hair from her face. "The only time you're silent is when you're sleeping," he murmured, taking in her delicate features, almost as perfect as a porcelain doll. But she was no doll; she was a young woman and one who had seen more than her fair share of the world. She had the face of an angel, but the heart and mind of one that had fallen. Although he would never tell her, he was beginning to consider her his equal; she could match him in intelligence, wit, sarcasm, knowledge, drinking habits (but the less said about that the better), and he was sure that she was far from innocent in matters of the opposite sex. Yes, Miss Weasley was not just another student, not by any stretch of the imagination. "If you think for one minute that I'm going to let you sleep down here, you're mistaken. My reputation is tarnished enough without any more scandal to add to it, now wake up," he said, a little more loudly.

This time she paid heed to his words and shifted, slowly opening her eyes. "I was having a good dream," she told him, annoyed that he had taken her from it.

"Well you can go and continue it elsewhere," he said with a smirk as she got up and collected her things. "My Potions room is not the place for such things."

"I beg to differ sir," she said, heading for the door. "The dream was about you," and with that she left, not looking back, which was a good thing as she would have burst out laughing at the look on her Potions Master's face.

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"Well I'm pleased to see that you have done the required reading, although some of you will have to buck your ideas up quite severely if you expect to be able to transform by the end of these lessons," said McGonagall, after she had fired off question after question at the group of students before her, most of which had been answered by either Hermione, Draco or Harry. "Now, as I hope you are all aware, the incantation for the transformation is _bestia converto_ and you must get the inflection and tone correct in order for it to work correctly. Mr Potter, since you seem to have been studying, why don't you come up here and try it?"

Harry glanced over at Ron and Hermione who gave him encouraging smiles and he slowly advanced up to the platform upon which McGonagall was standing. "Now, if I could just ask you to pull your shirt up over your shoulder so that we can see the full transformation…"

Harry froze. Remove his arm from his sleeve? But then she would see, they would all see. He couldn't let them discover the secret that had lain buried for so long, he couldn't let them see his weakness, his shame, what would they think of The-Boy-Who-Lived if he couldn't even defend himself against a pathetic muggle? He couldn't bear it, he couldn't bear the looks he knew he would see on their faces. Panic gripped him and he couldn't move.

"Mr Potter? Come now, don't be silly, if you would simply move your shirt up, it will only take a moment," came McGonagall's voice, shattering his thoughts like glass. He tried to tell her that it was impossible, but when he opened his mouth, the words fell silently from his lips. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of blond and realised that Draco was making his way up to the platform.

"Obviously Potter feels he would be too inadequate to perform the transformation. Either that, or he's too embarrassed to let us see how scrawny he is. I however have no such qualms. Move aside Potter," he said, giving him a gentle push off to the side. Something in his eyes settled Harry and he simply moved back, the iron grip of fear that had seized him suddenly releasing him.

"Very well Mr Malfoy," said McGonagall, shooting Harry a puzzled look. "Remember – _bestia converto_."

Draco nodded and hiked his shirt up over his left shoulder, revealing a pale expanse of firm skin. Concentrating hard, he said in clear, crisp tones "_Bestia converto_," and watched as his arm started to pulsate slightly. He was overcome with the strangest feeling; it was as if the bones within his arm were moving and shifting, and whilst it wasn't painful, it wasn't the most comfortable experience he had ever had. He held his concentration and repeated the incantation in his head, willing a transformation to happen, putting all his energy behind the magic. Suddenly his whole arm metamorphosed into the most beautiful golden-brown wing, large and powerful and full of life. He was unable to hold it for longer than a few seconds though and soon he was looking at his own arm again, slightly breathless and a little shaky.

"That was very good Mr Malfoy, obviously you will be some sort of bird, an eagle or a falcon perhaps by the looks of things. You will need to keep practicing and studying if you wish to be able to retain the transformation for a long period of time. You may return to your seat," she said and he did, Harry following. When he was seated, he glanced across at the brunette who returned the gaze for a moment before mouthing a silent 'thank you', with a look that told Draco that he had never meant anything more in his life. He nodded his acknowledgement and shifted his eyes to McGonagall, who had started on another lecture again. He didn't hear the woman's words though; he was far too busy thinking about how he had had the sudden urge to help Potter out, how he actually hadn't been able to stand the pained and panicked expression that had transformed the other boy's face when he had realised he was in serious danger of having others know the truth.

"Oh Merlin," Draco groaned inwardly. "I'm worried about Harry fucking Potter."

If he had been able to, he would have let his head fall to the table with a soft thud. As it was, he merely kept staring straight ahead, denying himself the urge to look across at him, and most definitely denying himself the urge to remember their little confrontation in the hallway the other day. The last thing he needed at that moment was the memory of his body pushed up against Potter's, especially not if he had any hopes of paying enough attention to the lecture to ever achieve a decent transformation.

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**AN: **Hope you all enjoyed, now remember to click the button that says 'go' and then write a few words to tell me what you think! I'll give you a cookie if you do (well I probably won't, but the thought's there all the same!)


	8. Pent up Butterflies

**AN:** Hey lovely people, I'm back again! Not really that much to say this time round, yes I hear you all sigh with relief, my rants do have a point you know! Thanks as always to **XxRoGuExHeArTxX** my wonderful and extremely dedicated BETA for all her support and encouragement, I couldn't do it without you hun. Also, I urge you all to go and read **Antiquity's Corollary **by **GonnaBeFamous** who I BETA for. It's a great fic and well worth your time.

**Review Responses:**

**Whatshername1:** Yeah I know what you mean about the style. I think you'll find this chapter quite different too. Alas, you will have to wait a couple of chapters for your curiosity to be fully satisfied.

**IrishEnchantress:** Aw thank you very much! Can't really do much about the cookie though, I don't have any in the house, you'll just have to settle for my heartfelt gratitude!

**Stormgreen Emotion:** Fear not, all will be revealed where Snape and Harry are concerned…just not yet! There will also be LOTS of H/D interaction, starting with this chapter, so enjoy!

**Yali:** Thanks very much, glad to know I'm original!

**randomtrees:** I like Snape/Ginny too – hence the fic! I can just see them together for some reason! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

**GonnaBeFamous:** Hello darlin'! How nice of you to drop by! I just have to say – GO SLYTHERIN! We rock! Hee hee, hope you like the rest of the story. :hugs:

Well then, hope you all like…….

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"Gin, you listening?"

"Hm? Oh sorry, Hermione, my mind was somewhere else for a second," said the red-head, shifting her eyes to Hermione's and shaking herself back to the present. "I was up late the other night, I guess it's catching up with me," she said with a sleepy smile.

"Yes what _were_ you doing out of the Tower so late?" she asked, with a curious frown.

"Oh I was with Snape, we were doing some research, I guess we just lost track of time," she explained. She had told Hermione and the boys of the work she was doing, seeing no reason to hide it from them, though she had asked them not to tell anyone else. They hadn't been surprised that she had been asked; she was, after all, one of the brightest witches in the school, but they had been rather surprised that she wasn't protesting more at the extra amount of time she had to spend with Snape. She had merely told them to stop being so childish and that there was really no problem with the man, once one knew how to handle him, and she liked to think that she was beginning to learn how.

"He shouldn't be keeping you so late," Hermione said disapprovingly.

"Oh it was upon my insistence," Ginny told her. "I had a theory that I wanted to test and we simply worked on that until the small hours. I fell asleep actually," she said with a small smile at the memory.

"Snape let you sleep when you were working?" Hermione asked with a look of disbelief.

"Well I'd say _let_ is too strong a word," she replied with a smirk. "I told him I had a dream about him," she added with a small giggle.

"You did _what_?"

"Well he told me that the potions room was no place for dreaming and I told him that I didn't agree as the dream I had been having was about him," Ginny explained with a shrug. "Well I was only being truthful, I _had _been dreaming about him," she said, not able to control the laughter that surfaced upon seeing Hermione's incredulous look. "I can't help my subconscious."

"You didn't have to tell him!"

"Oh but where would the fun be if I didn't?"

"Sometimes, Ginny, I wonder about you."

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Harry had been studying all day and he was sure his brain would go into overload if he added another page more into it. Promising himself that he would continue the next day, he packed away his things and settled himself down on his bed, letting out an almost contented sigh as he closed his eyes.

He had been studying even more so than he usually did in an attempt to push a variety of things from his mind, most notably the animagus lesson that had taken place two days ago. Gritting his teeth, he made a determined effort not to think of that particular episode; it would bring up far too many questions, ones that he was not willing to attempt to answer at that point.

Realising that lying still with nothing to occupy his mind with would only lead to unwanted thoughts, he pushed himself up off the bed and headed for the Owlery, feeling a little guilty at his recent neglect of Hedwig. It was freezing up there, and Harry cursed himself for not thinking to bring a cloak with him. Winter had settled itself upon Hogwarts and it would soon be the holidays; holidays which Harry would be spending alone. Hermione was going to France with her family, while the Weasleys were to spend the vacation at Grimmauld Place, as it had been decided that the Burrow was not adequately protected. So, the family were to stay at Headquarters, where although their safety was not totally guaranteed, they stood a better chance than they would have alone at the Burrow. Harry had whole-heartedly allowed them to do so, but upon Dumbledore's insistence had not been granted permission to spend the time there with them. It had been thought best to keep Harry at Hogwarts, where several pairs of eyes could be kept on him.

He drew his thin school robes more tightly around his thin frame, trying to protect himself from the fierce winds that whipped around him. He winced slightly as he hugged his arms round his ribs too tightly; just another reminder of how worthless he was, he thought grimly. He turned when he heard footsteps approaching and saw Draco making his way up the stone steps, a letter in his hand. Harry's eyes travelled from the letter to the boy's face; he looked distressed and a little unkempt, and if Harry didn't know better, he'd say the blond had been crying.

"Oh marvellous, my favourite scarhead," he said when he looked up and saw Harry standing there. He hoped that the Gryffindor didn't pay too much attention to his present state; he wasn't in the mood for an inquisition. "What are you doing here, Potter?"

"Needed a break from studying," Harry replied, not responding to the aggressive tone in the other boy's voice. "You?" Draco merely waved the letter in response as if to tell Harry that he was rather stupid for asking such an obvious question.

"So you always come up here when you need to remove your nose from those books of yours do you?" asked the blond, attaching his letter to a rather impressive hawk that was perched upon one of the window ledges.

Harry shrugged. "It's usually quiet, there's not a bad view, I suppose it's as good a place as any," he answered, taking a seat on the cold, hard floor, his back against the wall. Draco looked at him for a moment then nodded in agreement, also sliding down to the floor a little way away from Harry. "Something wrong?" Harry asked after a rather long pause.

"Why would anything be wrong?" Draco asked, surprised that the brunette would bother to inquire after him, but also annoyed that he had obviously noticed the state he had been in when he had arrived.

"You just looked a little…ruffled when you came in," Harry replied.

"I'd been running," he lied.

Harry just gave a soft 'Oh', and let the matter drop. "Listen," he started, his eyes shifting down to his hands as he tried to think of a way to put into words all that was spinning through his mind. "I um…I wanted to thank you for the other day, for what you did in the animagus lesson. I know you didn't have to and I'm not totally sure why you did, but I really am grateful because if you hadn't then everyone would have seen and I dread to think what would have happened if…" a hand closed over his mouth and his eyes snapped up to see that Draco had crossed the space between them and was sitting incredibly close with a half amused, half exasperated expression on his face.

"Potter, you're babbling," he said with a smirk. "Now, I'll only remove my hand if you promise you won't start off on a word rampage again, do you promise?" For some insane reason Harry wanted reply that no, he didn't promise, so Draco would just _have_ to keep his hand there, but instead he simply nodded. "Good," said Draco, lowering his hand, but not moving away.

"I mean it," Harry said quietly, his eyes sincere and strangely alive; something they hadn't been in a long while. "I really appreciate what you did," he reiterated.

"All in a day's work," Draco replied and Harry gave a small smile. Draco felt oddly pleased; smiles from the Gryffindor were a rare occurrence these days and he found himself glad that he had been able to elicit one of them. "Besides, you already get far too much attention, I thought a little more might burst that over-inflated head of yours," he smirked and Harry simply shook his head.

"We're doing it again Malfoy," Harry said after a moment.

"What's that then, Potter?" Draco asked.

"Having a half-way civilised conversation," he replied with a crooked little smile to the blond who gave a small laugh.

"We'd better watch that, it can't be healthy."

A silence fell, but in many ways it felt comfortable rather than awkward; it was natural and almost companionable. Harry titled his head to look out of the glassless window. The snow was beginning to fall hard now, coating everything in a beautiful white cloak. It looked so pure and brilliant that Harry almost felt that he was tainting it just by looking at it. He shivered as the icy fingers of winter caressed his poorly clad frame and he unconsciously moved closer to Draco, seeking out the heat that was radiating from him.

"Potter, I'm not a bloody hot-water bottle," Draco growled as Harry shifted in to him so that he was practically in the crook of Draco's arm.

"Shh," was the response he received. "Everything's so still and peaceful, just let it be," he whispered as his eyes continued to watch the delicate flakes; so ephemeral and beautiful, so pure and untouched. So unlike him.

They sat that way for some time, simply watching the afternoon pass before their eyes in a flurry of white and dazzling brilliance. It was mesmerising in a way, and something about it managed to still the disquiet in both boys, so much so that Draco hardly noticed when Harry's head settled itself lightly on his shoulder and the emerald eyes slowly closed themselves. When he finally made the realisation that his 'mortal enemy' was using him as a pillow, his first thought was to shove him roughly away and tell him to wake his bloody Gryffindor self up. However, when he had looked closer at the sleeping boy, he found that he was actually rather content to just let him stay there. He couldn't bring himself to wake someone who looked so absolutely at peace when they usually looked as though all the troubles of the world had been placed on their shoulders; though in Potter's case, that was somewhat true.

So he simply let him stay there, listening to the slow, rhythmic breathing and watching the snow fall, an alien feeling of contentment seeping through him. It was a long time before Harry awoke and when he finally did, he found that Draco had also fallen asleep and had managed to drape one arm across Harry's shoulders, perhaps unconsciously, perhaps otherwise. Either way it brought an odd smile to Harry's lips and he settled down once again, strangely comfortable with the whole situation.

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"Potter, Potter wake up," he heard a gruff voice saying as he felt his shoulder being shaken.

"Mmph, what?" he asked groggily as he slowly lifted his head and blinked his eyes open. When they came into focus he saw that he was looking across at Draco who looked slightly ruffled from sleep, but a little bothered also.

"We should go, we fell asleep, Merlin knows how long we've been here," he said, standing up, brushing down his robes and without thought, extended a hand to Harry to help him up.

"Thanks," said Harry, excepting it and hauling himself off the floor, choosing to reserve comment on the amiable gesture. He noticed that Draco was looking at his shoulder, frowning, and when he glanced down he saw that his robes had slipped slightly, revealing his bruised and marked skin. He hastily replaced his clothing, but couldn't bring his eyes to meet Draco's.

"They look painful," Draco said quietly. Harry shrugged, he wouldn't let the other boy know just how painful they really were, how sometimes, just after he had 'acquired' them he would lie awake, unable to fall asleep because he ached in so many places, it was impossible to find a comfortable position to lie in. "Have you told anyone?" he asked.

"No," Harry replied, moving over to the window, running his finger across the ledge and examining the snow. "There's nothing to tell."

"Nothing to tell?" Draco repeated disdainfully. "Potter look at yourself, you've been beaten black and blue and you say there's nothing to tell? Whoever did this to you must have seriously addled your brain!"

"It's my problem, I don't want anyone else to know,"

"Fine, I can't persuade you obviously, but you _do_ realise that people are going to find out eventually?" he asked, moving over to stand beside Harry, who turned to face him wearing a troubled expression.

"I'll deal with that when and if it happens," he replied, trying to instruct his mind not to relive a not too distant memory that involved the blond standing just as closely as he was now. "Until then…"

"Until then you'll just go on pretending as though nothing has happened," Draco cut in.

"Well that's something both of us are good at," Harry returned, his gaze shifting back to the outside world, away from those grey orbs that were studying him so intently. "I don't think you're in any position to lecture me on my behaviour," he continued, his voice low and thoughtful. "You've shut yourself away from everyone and everything this term; you've drawn in on yourself, so much so you hardly insult me or my friends anymore, apart from the odd half-hearted jibe. I may not have found bruises and scars all over _your_ body, but there are marks of a different kind that are glaringly obvious."

Draco seemed unable to respond to that; he just studied the raven-haired boy who continued to stare out into the approaching evening, a strangely calm expression on his face. "It's odd," Harry said softly. "But ever since the beginning of term I've had this hollow, empty feeling, like something was missing. I can't shake it, it never leaves…except when I'm around you," he said, turning round to face Draco once again, now frowning slightly. "I don't know what it is about you, Draco," he said, the name feeling slightly alien on his lips. "I don't know how you make me feel things I thought I'd made myself numb to, how you get under my skin, but you do, you always have and I really don't know what the hell that means," he finished, realising that he had moved incredibly close to Draco, so much so that their noses were only inches apart from each other. ""How do you do this to me?" he asked in a whisper.

"I'd be a pretty poor 'arch nemesis' if I didn't," Draco replied with a small attempt at a smirk, but it was marred slightly by the fact that he was trying very hard to keep his breathing under control; not an easy feat when one's heartbeat was increasing steadily by the second. The emerald eyes into which he was staring were alive and vibrant and altogether captivating, just as they had been when Draco had grabbed him and pinned up against the wall. He was having difficultly stopping himself from doing so again. The tension between them was almost unbearable, both were at breaking point and if something wasn't done soon, there would surely be an explosion. Harry took another step towards Malfoy, not really caring at that point to pay heed to advice his mind was screaming at him. If this filled the void that pained him so, he wasn't going to deny it. He was so close he could smell the wonderful earthy, soapy smell of the other boy and he found that he was titling his head and leaning closer…

"Oh sorry, I'll…come back later," came a minute voice from the corner and both boys whipped their heads round to see a terrified-looking first year, clutching a letter and looking between the two of them. The frightened boy, having seen the school's most notorious rivals locked in what he assumed to be a death glare, turned and hastily scurried off back down the stairs, his footsteps echoing in an unnaturally loud manner.

"We'd better go too," Draco said, heading for the stairs.

"Malfoy wait," said Harry, grabbing Draco's arm and turning him round once again. "This…whatever it is…won't go away, you know," he said with a frown.

"I know that, Potter, but for now, I can't deal with it," and with that he freed himself from Harry's hold and headed off down the stairs.

Harry sighed and shook his head. He had no idea what had just happened between them, but he _did_ know that that hollow feeling that had disappeared in Draco's presence had now returned with full force.

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"Professor?" Ginny called as she hovered in the doorway to the Potions room. Seeing no sign of the man, she stepped further into the room, thinking that he might be in the storeroom and unable to hear her. "Professor are you here?" she called again. She glanced over at the door in the far corner of the room that she knew led to his quarters and was debating whether or not to try and open it when it opened of its own accord and Snape stepped through.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, masking his surprise at seeing her there. "We don't have an appointment."

"I know, I was just…sorry were you going out?" she asked, noticing that he was dressed in a thick outer robe.

"I was on my way into Hogsmeade actually, I have need of a few ingredients," he replied.

"Well perhaps I can accompany you, I wanted to speak with you about the reversal potion."

"Miss Weasley," he began, there was no way he was about to let a student, least of all this student, accompany him anywhere. However, as usual, Ginny had other ideas.

"Please Professor, I won't be any trouble, I have errands of my own to run and I can help with whatever you're doing. Plus, we need to discuss the potion, now's as good a time as any," she said, and something in her face told him it would be entirely pointless to even bother trying to refuse.

"Very well," he said gruffly, annoyed that she had managed to get her own way. "But I warn you, if you hinder what I must do, we shall part ways."

Ginny merely smirked and nodded; she loved it when she won. She fell into step beside him and they made their way out into the beautiful white evening, the darkness already beginning to fall. She smiled at the sight of the snow; so pristine and almost ethereal, a stark contrast against the two black clad figures that made their way through it. She was a little surprised that he had agreed to let her go with him, but maybe he was beginning to realise that there was no point trying to argue with her. She had had 16 years of practice getting her own way with six very stubborn brothers, one Potions Master seemed like child's play compared to that. Perhaps he was starting to realise that she wasn't just another student, another brainless moron who couldn't cope if he looked sideways at her. She was his equal, and she would do anything to prove that she was so.

"I believe you said you wished to discuss the potion, Miss Weasley," he said silkily, breaking through her thoughts.

"Indeed," she responded, looking across at him. "I've been doing some research, and I believe we may find it beneficial to combine shredded mandrake root and essence of murtlap; the two together would prove very powerful in the healing process and would greatly lessen the pain of the individual on whom the curse has been performed," she said, pleased that he didn't seem ready to dismiss the idea. In fact, he was doing quite the opposite. The previous night he himself had actually been ruminating on using such a combination, as the properties of both were incredibly potent, but also incredibly useful. Had she not have suggested it, he surely would have.

"That," he began. "Might be a possibility," he told her. He wasn't about to let her know that she had just voiced his own thoughts. The girl already thought far too much of herself without him telling her that he thought she was remarkably astute for realising the potential in the ingredients. She nodded, hiding her pleasure at once again being proved right.

They continued to tread through the snow, marking it with their footsteps. When they arrived at Hogsmeade, Snape took them down a rather secluded alleyway in a less visited part of the town. At the end there was a small shop with a stark metal sign reading '_A J Withers and Son – Ingredients, Utensils & Aides'_; Snape stepped inside and held the door for her. Well at least he wasn't devoid of all manners. Inside the atmosphere was dense and thick, mists of all colours rising from the odd-looking bits and pieces scattered around the store. Snape led them round a few tall shelves to the back of the store to examine an array of ingredients, some she recognised, some she didn't.

"Severus, is that you?" came the unmistakable drawl of Lucius Malfoy. He turned cautiously round and saw the tall blonde man making his way towards him, accompanied by a shorter, darker man whom Severus recognised as Pansy Parkinson's father. "I thought it was, what brings you here?" Lucius asked airily.

"There are a few things I am need of," Severus replied.

"And where better to come eh?" Lucius finished. "And who is this?" he asked, his eyes shifting over Snape's shoulder. Snape turned around and instead of seeing Ginny, he saw a girl who looked about nineteen, with caramel-coloured hair, wearing elegant robes. He frowned, but something about the young woman seemed vaguely familiar and it was only when her eyes met his that he realised. Rich, chocolate eyes, ones that he had looked into countless times, ones that always looked defiant and challenging, ones that never faltered to meet his own. Ginny.

"Aurelia Anderson sir, pleased to make your acquaintance," she said smoothly, stepping forward to offer her hand to Lucius who took it and kissed it, a hungry expression clouding his grey eyes, and an unpleasant smile settling on his lips. "But I need not enquire as to your name; Lucius Malfoy, am I correct?" she asked as he released her hand.

"Indeed," he drawled. "I'm flattered."

"Come sir, you are renowned, I would consider myself utterly ignorant if I were not to know who you are," she purred softly, and Lucius looked thoroughly pleased with himself.

"I am honoured Miss Anderson. May I introduce Mr Parkinson?" he asked, and the darker man stepped forward, bowing low to Ginny. "We both have children that attend Hogwarts, Severus here is their Potions Master," Lucius continued nodding to Snape, who was watching the scene take place in a sort of bewildered fascination.

"Ah I see," Ginny continued, in what could only be described as the most seductive tones Severus had ever heard. "I'm sure he teaches them a great many things."

Lucius gave a low chuckle. "You sound as though you yourself might have some experience in the matter."

"Severus and I are…old acquaintances," she replied, smiling coyly over at her professor, whose jaw was clenched tightly.

"I see," Lucius said with a knowing smile.

"Miss Anderson," Parkinson said, moving forward past Lucius. "I wonder if I might request the pleasure of your company at my family's annual Yule Ball. Severus is invited and I would be greatly honoured if you would grace us with your presence," he said in a rich, deep voice.

"I'm sure I would be delighted to attend," she replied, ignoring the thunderous look she was sure Snape was shooting her way. It was hardly as though she could refuse.

"Splendid, it's settled then. Come Lucius, we must be going, we have business to attend to. Miss Anderson," he said with a polite incline of his head, making his way to the door. Lucius gave her another look, one that was unashamedly lustful, and bowed low, never taking his eyes off her.

"I look forward to seeing you again, Miss Anderson," he drawled, then turned on his heel and left. When she was sure both he and Parkinson were well out of sight, she transformed back into her younger-looking self, and turned to face a murderous-looking Snape.

"What in Merlin's name do you think you were playing at?" he hissed.

"It wouldn't do for Lucius Malfoy to see you with the 'littlest Weasley', and I'm somewhat gifted with a glamour charm, so I simply disguised myself," she replied calmly. "I think it was good idea," she said.

"A good idea?" he echoed incredulously. "You will now be expected to attend Parkinson's Yule Ball! Not only that, you _do _realise that they both think that you are…."

"Your mistress?" she interjected with an amused smile. "I know they do, well it's expected after all isn't it? And it won't be a problem for me to attend the Yule Ball; I'll be staying at Grimmauld Place and you'll most likely be in and out a lot, all you'll have to do is say that you need my assistance with the potion and no one will be any the wiser. There's nothing to worry about," she said, turning to examine an interesting looking black powder.

"Have you completely taken leave of your senses?" he asked, grabbing her shoulders and turning him round to face her. There were those eyes; the rich, deep ones that he had been able to identify through the disguise, looking up at him boldly, showing no fear, no apologies, only fire. "This won't be some pleasant little holiday get-together! This will be a gathering of Death Eaters, Voldemort's most loyal supporters and followers all crowded together in the one room, vying for attention and bloodthirsty enough to get what they want on anything, and that could include you!"

"Do you think that I'm naïve enough not to know that?" she replied, keeping her voice calm. "You think I don't know exactly what was in Lucius Malfoy's eyes when he looked at me just now? I know what kind of gathering this will be, I know what I'm letting myself in for, but I'm going, and there's nothing you can do about it," she said defiantly, still holding his gaze.

"Do you fear nothing girl?" he asked.

She gave a small laugh. "Oh I fear plenty of things, but I don't fear _you_ if that's what you're asking. I respect and admire you yes, but I don't fear you, and I won't apologise for that." She finished quietly. He looked at her for a moment, his brow furrowed in thought. He opened his mouth to say something but merely closed it again, realising that there was actually very little he could say. "Professor," she continued. "I'm not a child, I know how the world works. I know people, I know men," she added with a wry smile and he raised an eyebrow. "Please don't treat me as though I'm just some cotton-brained student who hasn't the first clue."

He shook his head, utterly disbelieving that he was allowing a student to speak to him in this manner. But as she had pointed out, she wasn't just another student, she was different. _How_ he wasn't quite sure, but she was, there was no denying that. "Very well, but expect no special treatment from me Miss Weasley," he said warningly.

"I should consider myself a fool to do so sir," she said with a laugh. "I merely ask to be treated as I deserve to be. Now, you have things to procure I believe?"

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Harry sat in the Gryffindor common room, idly passing a mug of tea from one hand to the other, his mind mulling over the events of the day. He was remembering how insanely right it had felt to lie curled up next to Draco in blissful sleep, the outside world just drifting away. He was remembering how closely they had stood, how his lips had been so close they had brushed the other boys. If they had he wouldn't have stopped it, not when it might have provided him with some sort of a release, some kind of relief that he desperately needed. He hadn't a clue what was going on between himself and his 'enemy'. All he knew was that he didn't feel as he once used to, too much had changed for that to be even remotely possible.

"Hey Harry," said Ginny, climbing through the portrait hole, flicking a few flakes of snow off her black cloak.

"Been somewhere?" he asked as she settled down in the chair opposite.

"I was in Hogsmeade with Professor Snape actually, we had some things to get for our research. He wants to see you by the way," she added, remembering that he had asked her to tell Harry he required his presence.

"Wonderful," he groaned, hauling himself out of the chair. "You're spending far too much time with that man," he said as he left. "I don't like the effect he's having on you."

Ginny merely smirked. It wasn't too bad.

Harry trudged down to the Potions room and gave an unenthusiastic knock, entering when he was told to do so. Snape was standing waiting for him, his arms folded.

"Ginny said you wanted to see me," he said by way of a 'hello'.

"Indeed. I thought an impromptu occlumency session was in order, to see whether or not you had been practicing. Are you ready?"

"If I said 'no' would it matter?" Harry returned.

Snape smirked and with a wave of his wand said, "Legilimens!" and once again, Harry felt his vision blur, and Snape's office began to fade away. There was a flash of a memory that Harry couldn't identify, but quickly he began to build the walls around his mind. He drew on all his energy and held the barriers, determined not to falter. He was doing better than he had done before and his defences were strong, but such strength took a lot out of him and he soon found himself tiring. Images began to seep through; recent ones that involved himself and a certain Slytherin. Knowing he would not be able to construct a decent enough wall again, he settled for pushing Snape forcibly from his mind. There was no way he wished the man to witness what had passed between himself and Draco, not when he wasn't even ready to face up to it.

He looked across at Snape who was viewing him with a raised eyebrow. He hoped to all that was holy that Snape had merely thought they were having yet another fight as the first year who had intruded upon them had. "Better, but still not good enough, you weaken too quickly, the only way that will be overcome is through practice. At least this time round you seem more…dedicated," Snape said.

"I am," Harry replied, wishing that the man would realise he had no desire for Voldemort to be in his head anymore than he wanted Draco there, but for two entirely different reasons of course. "Merlin knows I'm trying!" he said, suddenly finding himself utterly exasperated and not entirely sure why. "I'm doing all that I can in everything; I study, I work hard, any minute that isn't devoted to working is spent worrying that I'm not working hard enough, and then there are other things that are going on that are just too complicated to even think about, and let's not even begin to mention the fact that I have a crazed psychopath out there who's after my blood because a bloody prophecy that was made 17 years ago!"

"Are you quite finished Mr Potter?" Snape asked levelly as the boy finally finished his rant.

"Yes, Merlin knows I'm finished," he whispered, his voice sounding tired and flat.

"Perhaps we should leave this for another night; you'll never be able to create suitable defences in this state. You may return to Gryffindor," he said with a wave of his hand.

Harry was slightly surprised by this; he would have expected Snape to push him until he reached breaking point. But he seemed somewhat…understanding, even overlooking the fact that Harry had basically thrown a hissy fit in his office. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Harry nodded, muttering his thanks, and left, relieved to be out in the cool corridors of the dungeons.

He took a moment to gather his thoughts before heading back to Gryffindor; he was not yet ready to cope with a multitude of people. He was confused and angry and a great many more things besides. Everything he had been feeling suddenly hit him harder than a sledgehammer and he slumped down to the floor, his legs unable to hold him. He would have cried, only the tears would not come, the feelings went so much deeper than tears, he was beyond that now. He felt so utterly and completely alone, so desolate and bewildered that it was quite overwhelming. He brought his knees up to his chest and buried his face in them, shielding himself from whatever force was causing him so much pain.

"Potter?"

He didn't even need to look up; he knew the voice, knew it all too well.

"What in the name of Merlin are you doing down here?" he asked.

"God knows," Harry replied, slowly lifting his head to meet the grey gaze of Draco Malfoy. He hauled himself up off the floor so that he was level with Draco, and brushed the black hair from his eyes. "I just couldn't stand it anymore," he said, his voice so faint Draco had to strain to hear it.

"Stand what?" he asked softly.

"Any of it, all the things I've been carrying round for so long, all the hurt, all the anger, everything that's been happening recently. It all just…hit me, and I couldn't deal with it," he said, turning away from Draco, his eyes becoming blurry and unfocused.

"I know what you mean," came the barely audible response, and he felt Draco's hand on his shoulder, gently turning him back round. "Potter, I don't have the faintest idea what's happening, all I know is that this is the last thing I need right now. There's so much going on in my life, so much that I don't know what to do with, I don't know how to handle it. None of it makes sense and nothing fits and now this…"

"But what is 'this' Draco?" Harry asked, the second time he had used the blond's name. "Merlin, everything's so fucked up," he breathed. "It's all so complicated."

"I know," Draco replied, and his hand slid from Harry's shoulder down his arm, eliciting a shiver from the brunette. Their eyes met, both realising the reason for such a response. Neither would ever be sure who moved first, but suddenly their lips were upon each other and Draco had Harry pinned up against the wall, their bodies pressed closely together. Harry couldn't control the soft moan that escaped his lips when Draco's tongue met his own, exploring tentatively but with an intense need, one that Harry also felt. It was a release, a beautiful, inexplicable release and one that coursed its way through both of them as the kiss intensified, hands exploring and meeting warm, inviting flesh.

"This is madness," Harry heard himself whisper as Draco's lips travelled from Harry's to his incredibly sensitive neck.

"I know," Draco murmured. "But at least it's madness that has a trace of logic to it," and Harry could almost feel the smirk as Draco captured his lips once again, the two boys simply melting into each other. Finally they separated, Draco resting his forehead against Harry's, both breathing deeply. "I should go," he said quietly and Harry nodded. He freed himself from the tangle they had created and moved slowly off in the direction of the Slytherin common room.

"Draco," he heard Harry call softly after him. He turned slowly to see the Gryffindor walking up to him. "Thank you," he said and walked away in the opposite direction before Draco could enquire as to what he was thanking him for.

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**AN:** Right, now I know I've said this before but please review! It's great that people have added me to their fav's lists, but they haven't reviewed! I can't make it better if you don't tell me how, so go on, you know you want to! ;-) Love and hugs.


	9. a In the Midst of other Woe

**AN:** Well this is the 'turning point' chapter, and because it's so huge and rather integral, it's split into two parts, so here's your first one! Finally, your curiosity will be satisfied…for a little while. Love and hugs to my oh-so wonderful BETA **XxRoGuExHeArTxX**, who is an absolute legend as well as an awesome confidante! I have to give her credit for the last few sentences of this chapter, my own were appallingly lame! Thanks for all your help this week, not just with the fic, but with everything else, you've been brilliant!

**Review Responses:**

**fayrielchan: **Lol, deciding what animals to make them all actually drove me insane! I stressed so much over it! Hope you like when you find out!

**shatteredangel06:** Thank you very much for the compliment.

**randomtrees:** Hee hee, thank you for thinking I'm so awesome! Lol, my BETA always says how much she like 'grown-up Ginny', and I have to say, so do I! There's more to come, and much more H/D action too.

**Arica, Princess of Rivendell:** I'm sorry you feel that way, but I did stipulate right from the start that this fic would be slash so…

**brionyjae:** If you love that, you'll love what's to come! Yeah, Ginny is becoming more like Snape, they're both learning from each other!

**shinoa Yuuki:** Ginny/Snape is awesome! I will have you convinced of that by the end of this fic! Don't worry, there will be a lot of H/D action going on, though it won't be all plain sailing! ;-)

**Whatshername1:** Lol, I felt that way too! There will be more to come…just not yet! But don't get disheartened, there's just a lot that needs to be sorted out!

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The holidays were upon Harry before he had time to speak again with Draco, and he found himself alone at Hogwarts with nothing but his very troubled thoughts. He had kissed Draco Malfoy. Well, maybe 'kiss' was too tame a word; a simple kiss could in no way have had the effect on him that Draco's lips had had. He could have sworn that his skin was still on fire where Draco's mouth had blazed a fiery trail.

"Harry? Nothing to do?" asked Lupin with a smile. "Only this is the tenth time you've past by my office with that look on your face, something wrong?"

"Nothing that anyone has any answers to I'm sure," he replied despondently, following Lupin into his office. He hadn't been visiting the man too frequently of late and it was nice to be in his company again.

"What's been going on?" the older man asked gently, indicating for Harry to take a seat.

Harry gave a short, humourless laugh. "So much that I don't even know where to begin. Everything's so complicated, Remus, I can't sort it all out in my head and it's driving me mad. There are so many things that are going on at the moment, so many things I have to worry about and just don't make sense. I don't know what I'm expected to do," Harry said exasperatedly.

"About what?"

"Oh just…everything."

"I thought things might have been getting better, you've seemed a bit brighter these past couple of weeks, not so drawn in on yourself. Is there a reason for that?" Remus asked softly.

"I don't…there might be, oh I really couldn't say," Harry said with a sigh. "I just know that nothing makes sense anymore, not that it ever really did. Merlin, Remus, I'm so confused and there are just so many things that I don't understand, things that I can't seem to do anything about and I really don't know if I can handle it anymore," and with that he simply broke down, hot, salty tears overpowering him, flowing down his cheeks, a temporary release of all the pent-up emotions and feelings that burned within him.

Remus pulled him into a tight hug and Harry let himself be held, pouring all the pain and the hurt out, letting everything wash over him and finding some comfort in the firm embrace. All the memories that he willed himself to forget suddenly came flooding back, overwhelming him. All the feelings his heart had ever harboured rose to the surface and spilled over in painful tears, ones that didn't stop for a good long hour.

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Ginny sat in her designated bedroom at Grimmauld Place absent-mindedly drumming her fingers on the windowsill as she stared out of the window. It was three days into the holiday and she was bored already. She wasn't allowed to do anything or go anywhere and it was slowly driving her insane. At least at Hogwarts she could have had free reign of the castle and the grounds, but here all she could do was drift from room to room, examining the various books that were littered about. She was actually looking forward to Parkinson's Yule Ball; at least it would provide her with some entertainment. She knew Snape was still angry with her for accepting, but, as she had told him, there was little else she could have done.

At least he hadn't tried to forbid her from going, not that he would have got very far. She was a determined young woman, one who was becoming very skilled at handling the formidable Potions Master. She was actually beginning to enjoy the time they had been spending together, although she wouldn't admit it, to him or anyone else. He rivalled her, challenged her, something that most people were unable to do and if Ginny Weasley loved anything, it was a challenge.

"Gin, dinner's ready," came Fred's voice from the bottom of the stairs.

Not bothering to reply she pushed herself up and headed down the stairs, giving her brother a warm smile as she passed him. Although she loved Ron and all her other brothers dearly, the twins were the siblings she was closest to. On the surface they were immature pranksters who found a joke in everything, but when you dug that little bit deeper, you found two incredibly loving and caring young men, both skilled in reading other people's emotions and knowing how to handle them. When she was younger, if she had a nightmare or trouble sleeping, it would always be the twins' room that she would venture to before anyone else's. Hovering in the doorway, she would wait until one of them noticed her then gave her a soft smile, gesturing for her to come in. They would all sit together on one bed, the boys placing her in between them so that she would feel protected and safe, and she would listen as they told her of their latest scheme or as they made up wonderful stories that gently lulled her to sleep. The next morning she would wake up in her own bed, one or both of them having carried her back, and they would give her a wink at the breakfast table, letting her know that everything was alright. They were her guardians, and she loved them more than she could ever tell them.

"Not too bored, pet?" he asked, joining her on the way to the dining room.

"Oh you know, only to the point where I think my brain's shut itself down," she answered with a roll of her eyes.

"Well it's about to get more interesting, there's someone here who wants a word with you," said Fred, grinning. "What have you done to warrant such a punishment I wonder?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked, but Fred didn't need to answer because upon entering the dining room, she found Professor Snape waiting, his arms folded and the ever-present look of displeasure on his face. "Professor," she said in mild surprise. "Something I can do for you?"

"A word, if you please, Miss Weasley," he said, moving off into the adjoining room that was, at that moment, vacant.

"I can't have done anything else to annoy you, I've only been gone from Hogwarts three days and in that time I've made contact with no one," she said with a slight smile. "So I must assume you're not here to berate me," she said, indicating that she would very much like to know the reason why he _was_ there.

"Do I take it you still insist on accompanying me to Parkinson's Yule Ball this Friday?" he asked. She gave a firm nod. "Very well," he said stiffly. "I have informed your mother that I will be requiring your services at Hogwarts that night with regards to the work on the potion. I have told her I will come and collect you and escort you back here when we are finished. I did not think she would take well to the truth," he added.

"I should think not," Ginny replied with a smirk. "What time should I expect you?" she asked.

"Eight o' clock, and don't think I won't hesitate to go without you if you're late," he said sternly.

"Professor," she said, stepping a little closer, her eyes ever so slightly teasing. "Do you really think you can get rid of me that easily? Eight it is, I shall be waiting."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

And she was, to which Severus couldn't help but scowl at. They bade the Weasleys goodnight, then walked a little way round the corner from Grimmauld Place where Ginny transformed herself into 'Aurelia Anderson', then they both flooed to an Apparation port a short walk from the Parkinson's family manor. At least Snape had made the effort, Ginny thought as they walked briskly away from the port. He was dressed in very elegant black and grey robes and he looked every inch the gentleman, she only hoped he was in the mood to behave like one.

"Now Professor," she started with a slight teasing tone in her voice. "You can't scowl at me when I call you 'Severus'; it would look rather odd for your mistress to call you 'Professor Snape', unless of course you like that kind of thing," she said with a wicked smile. On seeing his expression she said, "It's just a joke Professor, relax, I'm only teasing," to which he raised a less than amused eyebrow.

Upon arriving at the incredibly ostentatious manor, Ginny slipped her arm through Severus' and gave him a somewhat cheeky wink. He had no chance, however, to berate her for this action as the doors were flung open by an unknown source, and light and music bombarded them. They were relieved of their outer garments, which, Severus noted upon looking over at his companion, left Ginny in a slinky but elegant crimson dress. It was at that point that he had to remind himself that she was most definitely _not_ his mistress.

"Drink Madam? Sir?" asked an elderly gentleman, bowing low as they walked into the main reception room.

Severus indicated that Ginny should give her order first and she said in those low, caressing tones she so easily adopted, "Scotch on the rocks with a twist," to which Severus said, "Make that two."

"You have good taste, Sir," said Ginny with a smile.

"Once again, I shall refrain from inquiring as to where you acquired your drinking habits," he said dryly.

"And once again sir, I should be grateful if you didn't."

The place was packed; every wealthy pureblood in the land seemed to be crowded into the one overly-adorned building, but Ginny just observed it all with a graceful and easeful air. Severus had expected her to be awkward or uncomfortable in such a setting, but she was entirely unperturbed, holding his arm lightly and flashing a dazzling smile at many of the men who shot looks her way. He couldn't help but feel slightly smug at the envious looks they were shooting in _his_ direction, even though it was all pretence. He liked knowing that _he _was the one who had such a woman on his arm, though he had to say, he thought 'Aurelia Anderson' had nothing on Ginny Weasley. Banishing those unwarranted thoughts from his mind, he downed his drink, placing the empty glass on a passing tray. This night was going to be hard enough without complicating matters by meditating on his student's rather attractive appearance.

"Miss Anderson, Severus," said Lucius Malfoy, manoeuvring his way through the crowds of people to get to them.

"Lucius," Severus said cordially while Ginny flashed him another brilliant smile.

"I'm especially pleased to see _you_ here Miss Anderson, the appeal of this night would have decreased drastically if I were not able to enjoy such pleasant company," he said, moving indecently close.

"Mr Malfoy, you're too kind," she purred, something that Severus was having great difficulty trying to ignore.

"Please, let us dispense with formalities, you must call me Lucius," he said, taking her hand and tracing delicate patterns over her palm.

"Very well, _Lucius_," she said with delicious emphasis. "This is quite a gathering; some of the finest of wizarding culture. I cannot bear it when I attend a social event and the guests are of low intelligence and breeding. It quite spoils the night for me, after all, if the company is disagreeable then one can hardly expect to enjoy oneself. Happily, that is not the case tonight."

"I am very glad you find the company tonight agreeable," Lucius said, still with a hold on her hand. "I would so hate to think that you were not enjoying yourself."

"Oh, I _always_ make sure I enjoy myself; pleasure is the only thing in life that one should ever fight for," she said softly and Lucius let out an animalistic bark of laughter.

"Now there's a woman after my own heart. It pains me that I cannot spend more time engaged in this most agreeable of conversations with you Miss Anderson, but I fear I must go and mingle with the other guests," he said, finally letting go of her hand, which was something of a blessing, as Severus was just about ready to wrench if from his grasp. He found himself placing a protective, and somewhat possessive, arm around her waist.

"Oh do not fear Lucius, I will be sure to seek out your company later," Ginny replied, with the smallest of pouts, an expression Severus had never seen the girl wear. Lucius gave her one last appraising look, one that spoke volumes, and turned to accost a couple entering the room.

"Do you have to encourage him so much?" Severus asked testily.

"This is Lucius Malfoy, practically Voldemort's right hand man, I would have thought it best to encourage him as much as possible," Ginny said, though she was still speaking in those unbelievably seductive and rich tones. Severus simply made a low, displeased sound in his throat, but Ginny noticed that he didn't release her from his hold. "Sir," she whispered so no one would hear her formal address. "That's not Professor Sollers is it?" she asked, indicating a man a little way ahead with a mop of snowy white hair and a pointed, serious face.

"You know him?" he asked. Had it been anyone else, he would have been surprised at someone of her age knowing such an eminent man. But no, this was Ginny Weasley; the damn girl seemed to know everything.

""I know_ of _him, his work in Charms is unparalleled. Is he a…"

"Death Eater? No. But he _is_ connected, it's not unusual to see him at one of these things," Severus answered, becoming increasingly aware that her body was pressed against his and that her breath was brushing his ear each time she spoke.

"Would you introduce me?" she asked, and her eyes sparkled as she turned to face him.

"I suppose so," he said, leading her forward to the elderly gentleman. "Professor Sollers, good evening, may I introduce Miss Aurelia Anderson?" The man gave a polite incline of his head.

"Charmed Miss Anderson," he said in a gentle, lilting voice.

"Miss Anderson is a great admirer of your work, Professor," Severus continued, finally removing his arm from around her waist; contact that she found herself a little sorry to be without. "If you will excuse me, there are a couple of people I must speak with," Severus said, confident that Ginny would come to no harm whilst under the watchful eye of Sollers.

"You know of my work Miss Anderson?" asked the professor.

"Indeed, Sir. You were responsible for _Wingardium Leviosa_, and you played an integral part in refining the glamour charm. I have followed your work for some time now, I find it quite fascinating," she said, and for the first time that night, she was being entirely genuine.

"Forgive me Miss Anderson, I would not have expected someone of your years to be aware of my work, let alone to be interested in it."

"Oh it interests me a great deal, Sir," she said, and they began an in-depth conversation on his work that lasted for a good hour. Ginny had only found such intellectual stimulation with one other man, and that was the one whom she actually found herself missing as Sollers reluctantly excused himself as he was called away.

Deciding that she was in need of more alcohol, she made her way over to the drinks table and served herself some punch. It wasn't her choice of drink, but she decided she had better steer clear of her preferred spirits for the time being, she didn't need to be drunk just yet.

"Did you see that young thing that Sev had on his arm tonight?" came a slightly slurred voice from behind her.

"I think the whole bloody party saw _her_," came another, equally slurred.

"Damn me but what I wouldn't give for a bit of that, I'd show her a thing or two," said voice one, crudely.

"By the looks of her I'd say she be the one showing _you_ a thing or two. How she ended up with ole Sev Merlin only knows!"

"Ah but dear old Snape has a reputation with the ladies. Whenever there's something proper going on, I don't mean like tonight, I mean something _real_, something where we can have some proper fun, he refuses to take what he wants. He always says he want them to be _willing_," he said. "He says he likes to know that they would _beg_ for him, _scream_ for him. He says the real pleasure isn't in taking a woman, but in her wanting to be taken. I bet he makes that whore of his scream," he said with a definite leer in his voice, as if he were imagining the scene as he spoke.

The voices became more distant and Ginny could no longer hear what they were saying, though she tried to. She wished to learn more about her professor's 'extra-curricular activities'. She wasn't stupid enough to think that their crude dialogue was all there was to the matter; through it all she managed to pick out that Snape, whatever else he may be, was no rapist. He was subtle and clever enough to disguise it under a cloak of 'wanting them to want him', but it came down to the fact that he had never forced himself onto a woman, which came as something of a relief to Ginny. She was curious though as to whether or not what else they said was true - whether he really could make women beg for him, scream for him. It would certainly cast a different light onto the man if it were true.

"Miss Anderson," came Lucius's slow drawl. "I should like very much if you would dance with me," and before he could take her arm, Severus appeared at her elbow and said,

"This lady is taken Lucius, perhaps your _wife_ would care to dance,"

"Aw come now Severus, can't you be a little generous?" asked Lucius, and became quite apparent that he was little less than sober.

"You know I don't like to share," Severus replied, his tone holding warning. Lucius scoffed, downed the brandy he had been clutching and moved off to accost a girl who seemed to have temporarily lost her escort. "That man's appetite is insatiable," Severus growled, and Ginny knew he was most certainly not referring to the man's love for food.

"Well?" she pressed.

"Well what, Miss Weasley?" he asked.

"Aren't you going to dance with me? If Lucius isn't allowed to, you might as well," she said with an audacious smile. "Ah ah! I won't allow you to deny me at least one dance, it would be cruel to refuse me!" she chastised, clutching his hand and pulling him into the crowd of people who were dancing to a sombre-paced violin piece. Without hesitation she slinked her arms round his neck and drew herself closer to him, almost pressing their bodies together. Deciding he would look completely absurd standing with his arms at his side, especially with his supposed 'mistress', he wrapped them around her waist, gracing her with a slightly unimpressed look.

"Is this really necessary?" he asked in a low growl.

"Come now…_Severus_," she said with a smirk. "We must keep up appearances now mustn't we? Don't tell me you don't actually enjoy dancing?" she asked in mock astonishment.

"About as much as the Cruciatus," he retorted.

"Well maybe I can persuade you to change your mind," she said as she moved her body in time with the music, brushing up against him in a way that was entirely inappropriate for a student to be doing, though Merlin help him, he couldn't bring himself to complain. "Has it been all politics and clawing for power tonight then?" she asked and he firmly brought his mind back to where it should be.

"Of course, I would have expected nothing less. Have you been able to keep yourself out of trouble tonight?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well it depends what you mean by 'trouble', but yes, I haven't found myself in any life-threatening situations…yet. So you see, there was really no reason for you to worry about me coming."

"Oh no, none whatsoever," he said sarcastically.

"Professor," she said in a whisper, leaning in to him slightly. "I can take of myself, I'm not a child," and at that point he was in total agreement; she was most definitely _not_ a child. She _was_ his student however, and he was having to mentally scream that at himself the entire time. The music ended and they broke apart, applauding the musicians as they walked away from the other couples. "I suppose it was far too optimistic to expect more than one dance," said Ginny with a sigh. "Well, I'll settle for another drink, and something stronger than that ridiculous punch!"

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The rest of the night was blissfully uneventful apart from the odd accosts from Lucius Malfoy and a few conversations. Severus was rather impressed in the way that Ginny was able to argue and debate with the circle of men in which she found herself, answering each of them with a witty and quick remark, never to be thrown off her stride. At around one he handed her cloak saying, "I think we've spent enough time here, your family will be after my blood if you're not back shortly."

"Oh, and I was enjoying myself so," said Ginny with a smile. "Have you made our excuses?" Severus nodded. "Very well then, I have to admit, this appearance is wearing a little thin now."

They walked to the Apparation port and upon arriving back in London, Ginny preformed the counter-charm and transformed back into her own skin. "Much better," she said, shaking out her hair and smoothing out her robes.

"I'll walk you back," said Snape.

"Oh that isn't…"

"No arguments," he said sternly, moving off down the narrow street that led to Grimmauld Place. He walked her all the way to the doorstep, both pausing as she waited with her hand on the door, poised on the threshold.

"Are you coming in?" she asked.

"No, I have to get back to the castle. Enjoy the rest of your holiday Miss Weasley, I don't doubt I will be seeing you before it ends."

"Indeed. Thank you for tonight, I can't say I enjoyed it exactly, but…well, let's just say I learnt a few things, I hope you did too." And before he could enquire as to what she meant, she said a quick "Goodnight, Professor," and turned inside.

What a night.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Harry's holidays had so far been somewhat less eventful than Ginny's. After his encounter with Remus, he had kept mostly to himself, venturing away from his room only for mealtimes and the occasional stroll around the grounds when he was in need of fresh air. The afternoon of the December 20th found him lying on his bed, propped up by his elbows and studying a rather hefty book on animagus transfiguration. His eyes were just beginning to gently close themselves when there came a sudden desperate pounding on his bedroom door.

Shocked out of his almost comatose state, he jumped off the bed and wrenched the door open, preparing to glare fiercely at whoever was making such a terrible racket. He had no opportunity to do this however, as a bruised, battered and bloodied Draco Malfoy fell across the threshold and into his arms.

"What the fuck!" Harry exclaimed, struggling to keep his balance as the almost unconscious blond collapsed against him. "Malfoy what in the hell has happened to you?" he asked, hauling Draco over to his bed and shifting him up onto it. Draco coughed harshly and winced in pain, trying to whisper something. "Ssh, it's ok it doesn't matter now, we just have to get you fixed up. I'll get Madame Pomfrey," said Harry, heading for the door. He was stopped in his tracks when he heard a pained "No!" from Draco. "What?" he asked, moving back over to him. "I have to go and get help," he insisted.

"Please, no one can know. Promise me you won't tell, promise!" he implored Harry desperately.

"I…I promise," Harry breathed, his fingers brushing lightly over Draco's paler than usual forehead, tenderly examining a particularly cruel gash near his hairline. Merlin knew what on earth he was supposed to do now.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Harry worked through the entire night tending to Draco's rather extensive injuries. He thanked the Gods that Ginny had taken the trouble to go through both the Auxilium and the Auxiliamata potions for hours with him, and that she had even been thoughtful enough to provide him with an emergency vial of the Auxiliamata, given that it took two weeks to brew and, given his history, he was rather prone to nasty injuries that required immediate attention. He had also managed to knock together a couple of remedies that Mrs Weasley had put him on to and so far, they had proved effective. He had had to repair a couple of Draco's bones, something he had been incredibly nervous about, terrified that he would screw up and leave Draco deformed in some way. He had been quite successful however, and he was now sat in the armchair by his own bed, cleaning the last of the blood away from the blond's face.

He was exhausted, but he was fairly certain that he wouldn't be able to sleep, even on the oh-so comfortable bedroom floor. He felt like he'd entered another reality, because he was sure that in his normal one this couldn't possibly be happening. But then, he would have been willing to bet his life that he and Draco Malfoy would never have kissed either….

Draco had said little after his earlier imploration, for the simple reason he hadn't been able to. The boy had been practically unconscious when he had arrived at Harry's door and his injuries were such that it appeared far too painful for him to attempt speech. Harry had simply done all he could while Draco either watched him silently or passed in and out of consciousness. Now he seemed to have finally slipped into a somewhat peaceful sleep, though there was still a slightly pained expression on his bruised face. Harry hadn't managed to ascertain how the blond had acquired his awful injuries, but he was willing to hazard a guess; he was plenty familiar with bruises himself.

He wiped away the last smear of blood, pleased to see that Draco looked marginally better and murmured a quick _Evanesco_ to clear everything away. Running a hand through his unruly mop, he leant back in his chair and sighed. The object of every waking thought he had had since the start of the holidays was now in his bed, sleeping slightly fitfully and breathing harshly. He couldn't imagine things getting any more complicated. He obviously didn't realise just how twisted a sense of humour Fate possessed.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Draco opened his eyes to find that a wintry sunlight was glittering through the windows, falling gently on the sleeping figure of Harry Potter who looked rather uncomfortable folded up in the tall armchair by the bed. He tried to move but found that the searing pain in his side wouldn't allow him to. He gave up, sinking into the pillows, his mind calling unbidden memories of how he had ended up in his current state. He felt thoroughly ashamed of himself as hot tears sprang to his eyes and he had to suppress an aggrieved sob. This muffled sound, however, woke Harry who looked a little confused for a second before his eyes settled on Draco.

"How long have you been awake?" he asked.

"Just a few minutes," Draco replied a little hoarsely.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, sitting up in the chair, easing his neck back and forth to rid it of the uncomfortable pain.

"I've seen better days," the blond replied grimly. "Hey," he said with an attempt at a smile. "Now we match," he said, indicating his bruises. Harry paused for a moment then returned the smile, relieved that at least some humour could be found through the rather grim situation. "You're a good Healer, Potter," Draco said, examining the scars and bandaging that littered his pale body.

"I've had to learn," Harry replied softly. "I did what I could, seeing as you wouldn't let me get Pomfrey. I just hope it's enough, you had some pretty serious injuries."

"Tell me something I don't know," said Draco wryly.

Harry gave him a half-hearted smirk and hauled himself up out of the armchair, grabbing a few things and tidying up what he had left the previous night. His mind hadn't exactly been worried with the state of his room, but now he realised just how awful it looked. He couldn't expect Draco to recuperate in such a mess.

"Hey Potter," came Draco's voice, making him turn around, momentarily abandoning the pair of jeans he had been about to pick up. "Thank you," said the blond quietly, holding Harry's eyes and looking a little uncomfortable. "I know you didn't have to, to be honest I wasn't even _expecting_ you to help me…" he trailed off as Harry let out a sigh and came and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Draco," he began. "This last term has been incredibly confusing, not to mention difficult. We've both been dealing with things, so much so that we forgot to keep up the animosity between us, bar the odd insult here and there. These last few weeks in particular have been…strange to say the least, I'm still trying to figure out what the hell it all means, what's going on between us, but you should know that I don't feel the same way about you as I used to, I don't think that would be possible. So when you showed up yesterday, of course I wasn't about to turn you away, I probably wouldn't have even if things _had_ been the same between us. I guess you have my Gryffindor side to thank for that," Harry said with a grin, causing Draco to roll his eyes. "Things have changed, and while I don't understand it in slightest, I'm willing to see where it all leads. But first, we need to get you well again. Do you feel up to taking one of my fantastically brewed healing potions?"

Draco groaned. "Urgh, I could never stand those things; do they have to taste like the undead?"

"I didn't realise you had such extensive knowledge on what the undead tasted like," Harry said, moving off the bed and over to his desk, where he still had a few vials of the healing potions left over from the batch he had brewed the previous night.

"You're hilarious,"

"Thank you, now drink," Harry instructed, handing him two vials, both emitting a less than enjoyable odour and both less than aesthetically pleasing. Draco pulled a face but downed them both anyway, grimacing at the foul taste.

"One day someone will come up with a potion that doesn't make the drinker lose his lunch, and I guarantee that person will be rich!" Draco said, looking thoroughly disgusted.

"Speaking of lunch, we've slept in quite late, do you want something?"

"I don't think I could manage anything right now, especially not after that concoction!"

"Your gratitude is overwhelming, Draco."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The afternoon passed surprisingly pleasantly. Draco was still weak and so could do little but lie in bed, being tended to by Harry. They spent most of it in conversation, though the topics covered were fairly neutral; neither boy was ready to discuss their rather passionate moment a couple of weeks prior and Harry got the distinct feeling that Draco was not yet ready to talk about the circumstances of his ordeal, so he did his best to avoid the matter.

After making Draco as comfortable as possible, which, according to Draco, wasn't very much, Harry flopped down into the tall armchair, ready to spend another rather uncomfortable night scrunched up in twisted shapes. He writhed around, trying to find a position that was at least half-way acceptable, which, he finally concluded, was actually impossible.

"Potter," came Draco's voice through the velvet darkness. "How do expect anyone to sleep when you're making such a racket?" he asked, and Harry could practically _hear_ the smirk.

"Well if someone hadn't commandeered by bed, I wouldn't have to try and get to comfortable on this wretched thing," Harry retorted.

"Get in then," Draco replied and Harry actually had to pause for a second, making sure he had actually heard the blond right.

"What?"

"Get in if you're going to make such a fuss about it, there's plenty of room and I suppose it _is_ your bed. You'll just have to be careful you don't kick me in the middle of the night, I don't think I can take another bruise."

Harry paused for a moment, weighing up the pros and cons of the decision he was about to make. On the one hand, he was about to get into bed with Draco Malfoy, someone he had an extensive history with and whom he had kissed not so long ago. On the other hand, the chair was really, really uncomfortable. Deciding his neck couldn't take another night of torture, he pushed himself up and walked tentatively over to the bed and slid underneath the covers next to Draco. He could feel the warmth radiating off the other boy; he was always surprised how someone as apparently cold as Draco could emanate so much heat. He slowly closed his eyes, being very careful to stay on his side of the bed, all too aware of just how close he was to the other boy.

"Potter?" came Draco's voice once again, much softer this time. "How did you get your bruises? Who did it to you?"

Harry was silent for a moment. He hadn't told anyone about his secret, and if it had been up to him, Draco wouldn't know now. Draco _did_ know however, and he supposed the blond would find out sooner or later. At least lying there in the darkness, Harry wouldn't have to bear the look he knew would spring to Draco's face.

"My muggle relatives, well my uncle mostly. They have an intense dislike for me, to put it mildly, and they're not exactly shy about showing it. I know it's ridiculous, the great Harry Potter, can't even defend himself against a lowly muggle, but…" Harry said quietly, shame seeping into his heart.

"Oh," Draco said softly. "I'm sorry, you shouldn't have to cope with that."

"No, but people go through worse I suppose."

Another pause.

"How did you get yours?" asked Harry, hoping that Draco was now ok to talk about it.

He felt the blond sigh and shift slightly before saying. "I failed to live up to my father's wishes."

"I don't…oh," said Harry as the realisation struck him. "I see. Was he the one who did this to you?"

"And a few others. I still don't know how I managed to escape. It was at the manor you see," said Draco, finding his tongue suddenly loose and willing to recount the events of that night. "I was to be initiated, it had always been planned for this Yule, but…I just couldn't. I saw what was about to happen and…I don't know, I suppose I just…repelled it. The spell rebounded and hit the person who was trying to mark me. There was an outcry, my father went crazy and the next thing I knew I was being cursed and beaten; 'punished' I suppose they'd call it. Then they left me, alone in the dungeon, broken and half dead. I knew I couldn't stay there though; someone would be down to finish the job. So I found my way out through a few of the secret passageways, some that I don't think even my father knows about. I grabbed my broom and headed straight here. I could barely fly but I wouldn't give up, not until I got here," Draco said and his voice sounded pained, raw with emotion.

"Why did you come to me?" Harry asked softly.

"You were the first person I thought of, the only one I thought I could trust I suppose. Things between us have been so…strange lately, like you said, we're not exactly enemies anymore. We seem to have formed this odd, unspoken truce, so I suppose it just made sense to me. There was no one else I could have gone to, not now I'm an outcast, a blood traitor," Draco said, sounding thoroughly miserable. He was glad of the darkness, glad that Harry couldn't see the painful tears rolling down his cheeks, tears that he had suppressed for too long. There was more to tell, so much more, but now was not the time for that, tonight had borne enough revelations without adding any more to the mix.

"You should get some sleep, you need to rest if you want to heal," Harry said gently.

"And you? Are you healing?" Draco whispered into the darkness.

"I might be."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The first thing Draco was aware of upon waking was a scent. He couldn't describe the scent, and he didn't recognise it, but he liked it. There was something fresh about it, like the air after a thunderstorm. He moved slightly and it was then that he became aware of a second thing; arms, and not his own. He slowly opened his eyes and found that somehow during the night he and Harry had moved so that Draco was practically in the other boy's arms, held closely to Harry's chest. Draco's first reaction was to try and move away, but then he reasoned that he would probably wake the other boy and besides, he was rather comfortable as he was. It was the strangest feeling; he was lying against Harry Potter, limbs entwined, and he actually had no desire to remedy the situation. The beating must have addled his brain more than he originally thought.

He had yet to sort out his feelings for the other boy. After their kiss, Draco had simply pushed all thoughts of Harry to the farthest corner of his mind, promising himself that he would deal with it all later. Well, now 'later' had come, and he still didn't have a clue. He knew that for some reason, things just seemed to…fit, make sense around Harry. That dull, aching feeling that he had become so accustomed to seemed to melt away whenever he was in his presence. He didn't understand any of, he wasn't sure he was meant to, but he knew that things could never be as they once were. Not that he really wanted them to.

He felt Harry shift beneath him and he rolled away slightly so they were not so closely pressed together, and shut his eyes, feigning sleep.

"Malfoy?" came Harry's groggy voice. "Draco? Wake up," he said, giving the blond a gentle shake, hoping that the blond wouldn't notice how close they had been before Harry had removed his arms.

"I don't think I will, I think I'm going to stay like this all day," Draco murmured, still keeping his eyes closed, finding himself suddenly wishing Harry hadn't moved away.

"There's a surprise," Harry muttered. "Well _I_ can't stay in bed all day, _someone_ has to take care of you," he said, shifting out of bed. Draco let out a growl of displeasure and brought the covers more tightly around himself.

"Do you have to let in all the cold air? May I remind you that I'm an invalid, I need care and attention, not people going around letting the cold air get at me," said Draco with a pout.

Harry simply rolled his eyes at him and set about tidying up the bedroom again, which somehow always managed to end up looking like the Final Battle had taken place there by the end of the day. "Damn," said Harry upon clearing everything away and finding he had not one clean thing left to wear. "Really should keep on top of my washing," he said, running a hand through his hair. "Can I trust you here on your own while I run down to the washroom?"

"What exactly am I doing to do, Potter? I can barely move," said Draco, looking up at the other boy.

"Knowing you you'd probably fall out of bed and break another rib, and don't expect me to mend it if you do!"

Ignoring the insults Draco started throwing at him, Harry made his way out of his room and out of Gryffindor tower. He was going to have to find some more ingredients for the healing potions and solutions or Draco would find himself with nothing but soup to heal his wounds. He rounded a corner and ran straight into another figure coming in the opposite direction.

"Oh! Remus, I'm sorry, I'm still half asleep, excuse me," said Harry, stepping to the side and moving past his teacher.

"Harry wait a moment I need to speak with…" but he trailed off as he took hold of Harry's shoulder and his shirt slid slightly, revealing what Draco had previously uncovered. "Harry what on earth…"

"It's nothing, please, don't make a fuss of it," said Harry, trying frantically to free himself from Remus, but to no avail.

"Don't make a fuss? Harry look at you! What else aren't you showing me?" he asked, his wolf strength suddenly surfacing as he placed Harry in a firm hold and wrenched the shirt a little farther from Harry's thin frame while Harry struggled desperately to stop the man from seeing any more. "Harry, you're covered in bruises, who did this to you? I know things are bad at home but surely…."

"It's nothing Remus," Harry said, finally pulling himself free from Remus' grasp.

"But Harry…"

"_Please_ Remus, just…leave it," Harry said, and moved swiftly off in the other direction, cursing all that was holy.

Remus however, had no intention of leaving. He knew someone had to be told, and he knew just whom that someone was. How the man was going to take it however, was another matter entirely

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As it turned out, he didn't take it well.

"What are you telling me! That someone's been beating him! This is ludicrous, outrageous! I bet it's those relatives he lives with, they're the ones who've done this to him! You wait, you just wait until I get my hands on them, they'll be sorry they ever laid a hand on him!" fumed the irate man, pacing Remus' study.

"Severus please calm down, I was shocked too but…"

"Shocked! Shocked! Oh, I am so very beyond shocked! How dare they! I knew it was bad, but I never imagined they'd do anything like that! I told Dumbledore, I told him! This is…beyond bearing!" Severus said, continuing his pacing of Remus' office, to the point where Remus was almost certain he would have to replace the carpet.

"The bruises are faded, they look old, old enough to have been made during the holidays, I think it's quite likely that it's the muggles who have been doing this to him."

"I…I shouldn't have left him there, I should have insisted he be taken away, I should have insisted!"

"Severus there was nothing you could have done, this isn't your fault," said Remus calmly.

"Yes it is," said Severus tersely. "I left him there, I didn't do enough to make sure he was ok, I didn't…didn't listen to my instincts. I should never have agreed to letting him be put there anyway, I never liked it from the start, I should have made more of a stand, I should have…. Damn it! I voiced my concerns about his treatment there, I told Albus! Why didn't he listen? I swear, I'll kill them, no one treats my son like that and gets away with it!"

"What?"

It was so soft that both men weren't even sure they had heard it, but as they turned slowly to the door, they saw Harry framed in the doorway, face pale and slack with shock. Huge green eyes met Severus' own and he knew, with a shuddering sense of dread and a tremor of fear, that the truth was out at last and there would be no going back.

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	10. 9b Purgatorial Rails

**AN:** Well this is the last chappie I'm popping out before I go on holiday to Egypt – yey! So excited! Anyway, like I say The next update will probably in about a week and half's time, or maybe a little later, depending on how much writing I manage to get done whilst I'm away.

Not only am I thanking **XxRoGuExHeArTxX** again this time, but I'm dedicating the whole chapter, no wait scratch that, the whole _story_ to her! I really wouldn't have been able to put this chapter out without her, she deserves huge credit for about half of it, if not more! She really is the most wonderful BETA in the entire world and I love her to pieces! Thank you so much darling, you're the world's biggest, brightest star!

If you haven't done so already, go check out her fic **My Hero**, it's bloody wonderful, and I'm not just saying that, look at the amount of reviews she has!

Also I just want to say that my explanation of the Circle of the Fianna is from my own research coupled with some creative license! If you have different knowledge of the Fianna, please don't flame me for it, as I only worked with what I found out and what I twisted it to be to suit my own purposes.

**Review Responses:**

**Whatshername1:** Well I wouldn't want you do die, so here it is! All is explained…well…almost all! ;-)

**brionyjae: **Ginny and Sev _are_ rather cute together aren't they! And Harry and Draco, well, they're just the best really, no one beats them! As for Severus liking Lily…well, just read the chapter! Hope you like.

**shinoa Yuuki:** I'm pleased to know I amaze you! But how do you mean about Ginny?

**randomtrees:** Yey, again with the awesomeness! Your reviews always make me grin like a loon!

**Hotaru Snape Riddle:** I'm so glad you like both relationships, I was worried two major ones would be a bit much, but hopefully I'm handling it ok!

**PaDfOot Da GrEaT:** I have done as you asked – I updated, you can stop jumping now! I'm not too sure how much longer the story will stay fluffy though! We'll just have to wait and see!

xXx

Harry stood frozen to the spot, feeling utterly unable to move. His eyes darted between the two men in front of him; from Lupin's shocked, anxious face, to Snape's equally stunned, slightly regretful one. He couldn't have just heard what he thought he had…could he? It wasn't possible, it just wasn't possible. He thought he felt the earth shift beneath his feet, and he actually had to grab hold of the doorframe to keep himself upright.

"I…umm… sorry to have interrupted," he mumbled, hardly aware of what he was saying. Harry turned, dazed and panic-filled as he stumbled away from the dungeons, not really paying attention to the direction in which he was going.

"Severus let him go," said Remus, gently pulling the other man back as he headed for the door.

"But I have to tell him, I need to explain. He needs to understand," said Severus frantically, eyes wide as they turned to the man beside him.

"He will," Remus said gently. "You have all the time in the world to tell him. Just let him have his time first, he needs to get his head round this before any explanations are offered."

"I didn't want it to happen like this," Severus said softly, staring at the floor.

"I know, but now it has, you're just going to have to deal with it as best you can."

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Severus sat in his study, his mind a blurry haze of everything he had felt over the past eighteen years. He couldn't imagine what was going through Harry's…_his son's_...head just then. It was the strangest feeling in the world to finally think of Harry as his son again. It had been so long since he'd allowed himself to think of him as that; it had just been too painful to torment himself with something he couldn't have. But now…now things were different. So very different.

At least Ginny Weasley could no longer nag him to death about when he would tell the boy, he thought with a smirk. He _had_ planned to tell Harry everything at the turn of the New Year, _how _he hadn't exactly been sure, but he did know it wouldn't have transpired in this way. He would have sat Harry down and calmly explained the situation to him, not have him stumble across an irate rant in which the truth was simply spat out! Of course, he realised that whatever way Harry was told, he wouldn't take it well.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, he rose from his seat but stopped in his tracks when he saw Harry hovering in his doorway, face pale but oddly determined.

"I…need to talk to you," he said in barely a whisper, his eyes darting to the floor.

"I thought you might have needed some time first," Severus replied, trying to keep his voice calm even though he was anything but.

Harry gave a small nod. "I do, but I need answers more, and you're the only one who can give me those," he said, still unable to look the man in the eye.

"You'd better come in then," Severus said softly, indicating for Harry to take one of the chairs in front of the hearth, an inviting fire crackling there where it had previously only ever been cold and empty. Folding himself gracefully into the other chair, Severus tried to meet Harry's gaze, but found his eyes drawn instead to the roaring blaze between them. "I hardly know how to begin," he said, voice richer and softer than Harry ever thought it could be. "I've imagined this conversation so many times, but now the words just don't seem adequate. I suppose I should explain first of all about my people…our people." At this point Severus rose from his chair, his movements agitated and troubled. "I…I doubt you've heard of the Circle of the Fianna," on seeing Harry shake his head he said, "Well, maybe it is best you were not troubled with it earlier. Well…," Severus trailed off, running a hand through his hair, face twisting as he struggled to find the right words. "I suppose it began centuries ago with a band of warriors named the Fianna. There were two Clans within the Fianna, but they were divided by their vain and selfish desires for individual power and leadership, each Clan trying to rule over the other…," he paused, trying to keep his explanation as understandable and unaffected as possible. "You must understand that the Fianna were incredibly powerful and in possession of ancient majiks, but the division between the two Clans stopped them from being as powerful as they should have been. Seeing this, the Elders, the wise men of the Fianna," he added, seeing Harry's puzzled expression. "They tried to unite them by bonding one soul from each Clan, but both were killed before a union could take place."

"Wait...what does all that have to do with you being…my father?" Harry asked, head clouded with what was, as he was concerned at that point, useless information.

"I'm coming to that," Severus said, finally stopping his pacing. "You have to understand the history first or none of the rest will have any hope of making sense," Harry relented, hearing the edge of frustration in his prof..er.. the man's voice. "Damn, I've forgotten my place…" Another long pause as Severus picked up his pacing once more. "Oh yes; the union never took place, but the Elders were determined that one day it would, so they forged a prophecy ensuring the two souls would be reborn and allowed to unite as they were meant to. This is where the story affects us; Keepers were assigned to protect the prophecy, they were meant to produce heirs so that one day the souls could be reborn into them. I, like my family before me, am a Keeper…as was your mother.

"I'm afraid…I'm afraid this is the next shock I must impart," said Severus, and Harry noticed he kept lacing and unlacing his fingers; this was obviously the part of the conversation the man had been dreading most. "Whilst…whilst you know James Potter was not your father," he said, taking a deep breath. "Neither was Lily Evans your mother," he said quietly. "Please, please just let me explain," he said, holding up his hand to silence Harry. "Your mother…my wife, was also a member of the Circle. We were married shortly after finishing at Hogwarts, and you came along not too far after," Severus' voice had become slightly shaky, thick with emotion and strain; Harry almost fancied the other man was holding back tears, but quickly scolded himself for it. "We…we began to realise very early on that you could be one of the Chosen, one of the two souls promised to return. However, disaster struck before we could be certain."

"What do you mean?" asked Harry, frowning.

"Voldemort," Severus said darkly. "The bane of both our existences. He, of course, had learnt about the Circle, and the prophecy, and was determined there would be no one around with the power to defeat him. He attacked our home, not realising you were the son of one of his Death Eater's. Though I highly doubt he would have cared either way. Your mother was…was killed that night," Severus said thickly. "And that was when my life fell apart. I had lost my wife, my home, and very nearly you. I was a mess, I could barely cope; the loss of your mother very nearly broke me, but I did realise one thing. I couldn't keep you. Voldemort would strike again and he would make sure he succeeded.

"I did what I had to, I entrusted you to parents who I thought would keep you safe, as well as love you and care for you. The Potters couldn't have children of their own, and Albus convinced me that they would be the best choice. I'm certain you can imagine my rather unpleasant feelings about handing my only son over to _James Potter_," he added, looking highly dissatisfied at the notion. "But I was convinced that it would be for the best, that it was for your protection. My own prejudices had to be put aside for you. Of course I realise now that the Potters were not the best choice. I desperately longed to take you back that night, but I knew it would be impossible. The circumstances simply would not allow it. Dumbledore convinced me to allow him to make other arrangements, but I see now how wrong these were as well," he said darkly, finally turning to face Harry. "Believe me, if I had known the truth I wouldn't have hesitated for one moment to have you removed from that damned place! I would not have left you there had I known what had been going on, I promise you that."

Harry gave a small nod, he could hear the near desperate sincerity in the man's voice. "But why have you waited all this time before telling me?" he asked.

"Oh believe me I've wanted to. There have been so many times when I've wished to disregard all the rules and laws of the Circle simply to relieve myself of the burden I've been carrying for almost eighteen years. The Keepers are not allowed to inform their offspring of the prophecy until their 18th year, _year_, not birthday. I was planning on telling you at the beginning of the New Year. I most certainly did not wish for you to find out like this, although I suppose it doesn't matter now," Severus finished quietly, finally collapsing back in the seat opposite Harry, the lingering grace replaced by obvious exhaustion.

The boy looked understandably shaken and utterly bewildered. Harry's whole world had just come crashing down around him; everything he had ever known had been a lie, one that he had desperately clung to in the hopes of finding some identity. He had spent nearly eighteen years believing he was an orphan, and now he had a father. Not just any father, though, _Severus Snape_.

"But…but you hate me," said Harry softly, more to himself than anyone.

Severus let out a humourless bark of laughter. "Nothing could be further from the truth," he said, looking Harry directly in the eye. "I have had to uphold a pretence for so long now, it's almost driven me insane. I couldn't have shown anything for you when you arrived here for fear of the Slytherins reporting it back to their fathers; that would have put both our lives in danger. I had to treat you the way I did to keep up appearances as it were, to keep us both safe, you most especially. Do you not think that I don't regret my behaviour towards you? That I didn't curse myself every single time harsh words left my lips? I had missed out on the first eleven years of your life and then finally you were here for me to see, to watch. I was finally a part of your life again, and all I could do was treat you with disdain and hatred. The only part I could play was your loathsome Potions Master who made your life hell. Do you honestly think that was a role I relished?"

Silence fell between them as Harry pondered Severus' words. He could see the sense and logic behind them, but he was having extreme difficulty dealing with it all. The man was showing real, raw emotion, almost imploring Harry to understand him, to…forgive him?… for what had happened in the past. Harry's mind was working frantically to shove the pieces together, but all that was coming out was a terrible jumble that he simply could not make sense of. The foundations that he had built his life upon up until that point had suddenly crumbled beneath him, only to be replaced by shaky, uncertain and somewhat unbelievable knowledge.

"I…I need some time," Harry said quietly, not trusting his voice not to give out on him.

"Of course," Severus said, though Harry thought he saw the slightest flicker of disappointment for a second, but it was gone before he could be sure. "I shall be in and out the next few days, come and find me when you wish to speak,"

Harry nodded and rose from his chair, still feeling slightly shaken. "I know it's difficult to comprehend," said Severus before Harry was out of the door. "And I know you'll have questions. I'll do my best to answer them for you. You must understand that I have had a part to play for these past few years, I hope you realise that what I have displayed towards you are not my true feelings," he said, but seemed unable to say this to Harry's face, rather to the floor.

"I'll…come and speak to you soon," Harry said, turning and fleeing the office, his mind barely able to function.

Severus watched him go, suddenly feeling as though a weighty and painful burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He knew that the road ahead would be one of the most difficult he would travel down, but nothing could be more painful than the past eighteen years of constant worry, secrecy and denial. He could finally stop with the façade that had been slowly eating away at him all these years. He had his son back, maybe not completely, but it was a start at least.

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Draco could sense that something was very wrong with Harry that evening as they sat in total silence in the Gryffindor's dormitory. Harry had seemed edgy and preoccupied from the moment he returned that morning, and had been disappearing for long periods throughout the day. He had tended to Draco's injuries with only a few enquiries about how he was healing, but it was very obvious that Harry's mind was elsewhere.

"So…am I going to have to play guessing games all night or are you going to tell me what's wrong with you?" asked Draco, finally tiring of the oppressive silence and Harry's distant, troubled look.

"There's nothing wrong," Harry lied, shaking himself from his turmoil of thoughts.

"Liar," Draco responded softly. "Is it really that bad?"

"You have no idea," Harry said, collapsing down on the bed beside Draco, a place he was starting to feel rather comfortable with. "I wouldn't even know where to begin," he said, shutting his eyes as if trying to block the thundering reality of the situation out.

"The beginning seems like a good place," said Draco, shifting himself up slightly to look down at the brunette who was lying next to him, one arm slung over scarred forehead, brow creased in a thoughtful and troubled frown. Slowly he opened his eyes and looked up at Draco, contemplating whether or not he should tell him the incredible truth that he himself had just learnt.

"I found out something today, something that's thrown my whole life into question. Something that I can hardly believe is possible," he began, suddenly realising that by telling Draco he was making the situation very real; he was actually acknowledging the fact that Severus Snape was his father.

"Well?" Draco prompted gently.

"Will you swear to me that you won't tell anyone?" Harry asked, propping himself up on his elbows to get a better look at the blond.

"You keep my secrets and I'll keep yours," Draco replied with a slight smirk.

Harry sighed and pushed himself fully up, bringing his back to rest against the headboard of the bed. Wrapping his arms around his knees and taking a deep breath, "I found out today that Professor Snape…is my father,"

"You can't be serious," said Draco, trying to find some trace of amusement in Harry's features to tell him that the boy was playing a seriously disturbed joke.

"I've never been more serious in my life," Harry replied, a little relieved that Draco simply hadn't laughed in his face. "I found out by accident; Lupin saw my bruises and he must have gone straight to Snape. I walked in on them arguing about it. Snape was…livid. I walked in just as he said 'no one treats my son like that and gets away with it'. I didn't think I'd heard right, but then I saw the looks on the their faces; they knew they'd been found out and I knew that what I had heard had been the truth,"

"But…how?" Draco asked, completely and utterly bewildered by what he was hearing.

"Have you heard of the Circle of the Fianna?" Harry asked, suddenly realising that if anyone was to know about this secret and mysterious Clan, it would be Draco.

"Yes, but what's that got to do with anything?"

"Snape told me that he's a Keeper, and my mother was too…"

"Hang on a minute, Lily Potter was a Keeper? How did it happen anyway? Did they have an affair or something?"

"No, you might want to get comfortable, this is a long and complicated story," Harry said, and with that imparted the whole tale to Draco, as faithfully as his struggling memory was able to. Draco stayed fairly quiet throughout, dropping in the odd comment here and there and giving Harry questioning and puzzled looks, listening to the wondrous tale the boy was telling him. "And he told me that he thinks I'm one of the Chosen, one half of the souls or something, that's why I was able to defeat Voldemort when I was just a baby, but I couldn't completely kill him because I hadn't been reunited with the other person so the power wasn't whole yet."

"That's…quite a story," said Draco, trying to get his head round the whole thing. "I mean, Professor Snape is your father? Who would have ever seen _that_ coming?"

"I know. I'm mean for Merlin's sake!" said Harry, getting off the bed and going over to the window, his movements just as agitated as his father's had been when he had been explaining the situation to Harry. "For nearly eighteen years I've lived believing my parents were dead, now I find out that the people I thought were my parents really had nothing to do with me and that my father is not only alive but has been living under the same roof as me for the past six and a half years! We've seen each other almost every day and I've never known, never known that my father has only been a few feet away from me. What am I supposed to do now?" Harry asked in exasperation.

"What do you mean?" asked Draco, watching Harry worry his bottom lip with his teeth.

"Well am I supposed to behave like the past six and a half years haven't happened? Am I supposed to ignore the fact that we've both hated each other in all the time that we've known each other?" he asked, turning back to face Draco with a fraught and thoroughly perplexed gaze.

"Well, from what you've told me it doesn't sound as though he _does_ hate you, far from it in fact. Remember, for him it's been a pretence all these years, something he's had to keep up for his sake and yours. I know a very different man to the one you've been accustomed to, a man who feels things deeply, not the cold, heartless bastard you and your friends have him pegged for. Talk to him, he's the only one who can give you all the answers you need; it's obvious you still have many questions, ones that need answering,"

Harry nodded, knowing that Draco's words made sense; he _did_ have a ton of questions that he needed to ask, and he knew his mind would not be still until they were answered. "Do you mind if go down now and see him?"

"Oh I think I'll be able to manage here on my own for a little while," said Draco with a smirk. "Give him a chance," he said softly as Harry headed for the door. "He might just surprise you."

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Severus Snape sat in the kitchen of 12 Grimmauld Place, his hands wrapped around a mug of steaming hot coffee, brooding over the events of the day. He had no idea what was going through Harry's head at that point, but he was willing to bet the boy couldn't feel worse than _he_ did. It was one thing to have Harry hate him when he merely thought he was the snarky bastard of a Potions Master, but it was another for Harry to know the truth and _still_ hate him; he wasn't sure if he would be able to bear that.

"Professor, what are you doing here?" asked Ginny as she entered the kitchen, stopping slightly in the doorway when she saw her professor sitting at the table staring morosely into his coffee.

"I had a little business to attend to, and I thought I'd take a little time here before I returned to Hogwarts," he said. "And why are you up at this hour?" he enquired with a raised eyebrow.

"Couldn't sleep, I guess I just got too overtired," she said, joining him at the table.

"Are the nightmares still bothering you?" Severus asked, already having guessed the reason for her being awake.

"No more than I can handle," she said, avoiding his eyes.

"Coffee?" he asked, and she nodded. "Hot, strong and bitter," he said, pouring her some.

"Mm," she agreed, taking a sip. "So's the coffee," she said, trying incredibly hard not to laugh at the look he gave her. She had had a rather boring day and she was rather glad of this unexpected company.

"He found out," Snape said quietly. "So you can stop hounding me about when I'm going to tell him."

"He found out?" she echoed. "Well, what happened? How did he take it?"

But Ginny never got know how he took it, as Severus was about to answer her questions, a figure appeared in the doorway and both turned to see Harry standing there, awkwardly shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"I um…asked Dumbledore where you'd be and he gave me permission to floo here. I…needed to speak with you," he explained, his eyes shifting to his shoes.

"I think I'll take my drink upstairs, it was nice to see you again sir. Harry," Ginny nodded to them each in turn before taking her coffee retreating upstairs.

Harry smiled at her weakly, moving haltingly to sit down at the table opposite Severus. He was feeling incredibly out of his depth and his mind was prodding him with so many questions that he was sure if he were to open his mouth, all that would come out would an unintelligible mess of sounds.

"Harry before you begin," Severus said, noting the look on the boy's face at his use of his first name; it was something _he_ was quite unused to also. "I just want to thank you for giving me the chance to explain myself as best I can."

"Draco told me that I should give you a chance," Harry replied, the words sneaking out before he realised exactly what it was he had said.

"Draco! Draco Malfoy? What on earth were you doing talking to him, and since when are you on first name terms?" Severus asked, obviously taken aback.

"He's staying with me at that moment, but that's another story, I'll tell you about it later. _Now_ I want to talk about this, I want to know…everything." Severus nodded, although Harry knew he wasn't going to let the matter drop. "First…everyone's always telling me how much I look like my…like James Potter and that I have Lily's eyes, how did that happen?"

"It's very simple really, we cast a glamour charm on you to change your appearance, but I wouldn't let them change your eyes. People are always saying that you have your mother's eyes, I know. And you do, just not the mother you think of. Your real mother had the most brilliant green eyes, just like yours. They wanted to make them brown like James' or hazel like Lily's, but I refused to let them, I insisted they at least kept your eyes the same, they were your mother's favourite thing about you. She would always say how proud she was that her son had inherited her family's trademark," Severus said, and his own eyes seemed slightly clouded, distant, and Harry was sure that his mind was providing him with memories of the woman he was talking about.

"What was her name?" asked Harry quietly.

"Liana, Liana Zabini,"

"Zabini?" Harry repeated, not believing what he was hearing.

"Yes, Blaise's mother was your mother's sister. Blaise is your cousin, my nephew."

"This day isn't going to get any easier is it?" Severus shook his head with the ghost of smile on his lips. "Do you have any pictures of her?" Harry asked, the idea suddenly coming to him.

Severus regarded him for a moment before nodding and extracting a small pocket-sized photograph from his robes and handing it to Harry. He looked at the woman smiling back at him from the picture; she had an elegant, graceful beauty, black hair and the most brilliant, dazzling green eyes, just like his own. A man joined her in the picture, and after a moment's careful study, Harry recognised him as a much younger, much happier Severus Snape. The difference was phenomenal; the man in the photograph had chin-length black hair, pale but healthy looking skin and deep black eyes that seemed to be sparkling with life and happiness. The biggest difference though was that the man was smiling, really, genuinely smiling, an expression Harry was sure he had never seen the older version wear. On closer inspection, Harry saw that the woman's stomach was a little large; she was obviously in the first stages of her pregnancy.

"She was about three months pregnant when that was taken," said Severus, as if reading his mind. "We were…very happy," he whispered, voice barely audible.

"You were?"

"Of course, we were having a child. I was going to be a father, I don't think I've ever been happier," said Severus, obviously uncomfortable with this open show of emotion.

"You loved her then? You were happy together?" Harry asked. It suddenly mattered a great deal to him to know that his parents weren't in a marriage of convenience, that they hadn't just been forced together to produce an heir for the Circle.

"I…I loved her very much, we were very happy, for the little time we had together."

"How long were you married for?"

"Four years. She was too young to die. All that life, all that beauty cut short without thought or care. She loved you; I've never seen her so happy than when she was holding you, laughing with you, soothing you to sleep. You were her pride and joy, her beautiful son, the one thing in the world she had always wanted."

"Show me," Harry said suddenly, an idea coming to him.

"What?"

"Show me, in the pensieve, please, I just want to see her, I want to see what it was like," Harry said, almost pleading with the man.

"You're sure?" Harry nodded determinedly. "Then let us return to Hogwarts."

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"_Is he asleep?" asked Severus, creeping quietly into the child's bedroom, his wife sat by a beautiful oak crib, a small, black-haired baby sleeping softly within it._

"_Finally," whispered Liana in rich, delicate tones. "He was in a bit of a mood tonight, I think he was out to give me a hard time," she said, gently stroking the baby's, as of yet, unscarred forehead._

"_He's got too much of you in him," said Severus with a soft laugh, winding one long finger round one of Liana's sleek black curls as she leant back into him, smiling up at him. _

"_Oh no, he's definitely your son," she replied. "He's just as temperamental, just as intense…and just as wonderful," she said, standing and turning so she was facing him. She wrapped her arms round his neck and his slid easily round her waist, pulling her closely to him. "If he grows up to be one half like his father I shall be well pleased."_

"_I would not wish so great a calamity on the poor boy!" Severus said with a laugh._

"_Don't be so ridiculous," she scolded, pulling him down for a slow, sweet kiss, which was unfortunately broken by a small sniffle, then a cry. "Oh dear, I didn't think he'd be down long, he's not going to give us a moment's peace tonight," said Liana, looking down at her tiny son._

"_Now then young man, maybe you won't settle for your mother, but how about for your father, hmm?" asked Severus, leaning down into the crib and gently scooping Harry up into his arms. "Such noise from so small a creature!" he said in tones of mock annoyance as he tenderly rocked the crying baby from side to side. "Ssh, there we go, there's nothing to cry about now is there? Ssh," he soothed and slowly the crying subsided to a few little sobs and then to nothing but a gurgle here and there. "That's better. You know not to mess with your dad, hey?" Severus said with a laugh, looking down into the huge green orbs that were gazing up intently at him. "Why don't you go and get into bed, love? I'll put Harry down," he said, looking over at his wife who was watching her husband and son with a smile on her face._

"_Be sure you don't take too long, I'll get lonely otherwise," she said, leaning carefully over the baby to give Severus a quick kiss. "Goodnight my young man, how about giving your mum and dad a full night's sleep?" she said, kissing Harry softly on the forehead. "No scary stories!" she said to Severus before leaving the little room, blowing a kiss at them both._

"_Like I'd tell you scary stories," said Severus, sitting down in the chair with Harry still in his arms. "If anything I'd tell you the finer points of good Potions making, but something tells me you wouldn't be too interested. Well hopefully that'll change as you get older; your mother seems steadfastly determined that you'll follow in her footsteps and hone your expertise in flying or Defence, but if I have my way, it'll be Potions. You'll be a true proficient in no time." Harry let out a small giggle. "Well…maybe not. Come on then, time you were asleep, time I was too! It seems you've determined that I should be thoroughly deprived of sleep this week and I do not appreciate it," said Severus, giving his son a mock glare. "You know I'm only joking though, don't you? Because, just between you and me, I wouldn't trade this for the world. Your mother warned me I'd go soft when I became a father, but I didn't believe her, of course. Just don't let her know she's right or she'll be unbearable. Let's just keep it between ourselves, alright?" Harry let out a soft gurgle. "I'll take that as a 'yes'," Severus said with a raised eyebrow, stifling a yawn. "That looks a little more promising," he said as the baby in his arms finally closed his eyes. "Keep them closed for a little while longer this time, hey Harry?" he said softly, placing him back into the crib, drawing the covers up round him to shut out the cold. "Sleep soundly, son, I'll be right here if you need me. I always will be."_

Harry came back to Severus' office, his mind reeling from what he had just seen. He looked across at the other man and his heart almost stopped when he saw that the usually stoic man actually had _tears_ in his eyes, tears that he was trying very hard to stop from falling. "Professor, are you alright?" asked Harry tentatively. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have made you show me that memory…"

"No," Severus cut him off. "You had every right to see it, I just didn't realise how…painful it would be to have to live it again, to see Liana…and you…to remember what I've been willing myself to bury in my mind for so long," he said, his voice sounding a little choked. "I'd almost forgotten what it felt like – being a father,"

Harry suddenly felt an unexplainable rush of emotion for the man standing next to him, and before he had even thought about what he was doing, he had crossed the distance between them and caught the man up in a hug, one that he actually felt being returned. "I'm so, so sorry," he heard Severus say breathily into his shoulder.

"For what?" Harry asked as they broke apart.

"The past seventeen years. I'm so sorry that I couldn't tell you sooner, that I couldn't end all this misery. So many years…just lost, it all seems so unfair," he said softly.

"It _is_ unfair," Harry said firmly. "It's unfair that you lost a son and wife and I lost a father and mother. It's unfair that we were both forced into lives we should never have had to live," he said, his voice becoming slightly bitter.

"Harry believe me when I say that I am truly, truly sorry for what you had to go through at the hands of those muggles, but trust me, I will_ not_ let you go back there again, I'll do everything in my power to stop it from happening. If I'd have known, I would have gone down there myself and dragged you away. If I ever see them again I'll see to it they are made thoroughly sorry they ever dared to lay so much as a finger on you," Severus growled.

"That wouldn't do anyone any good," Harry said softly. "What's done is done, I didn't want anyone to know, but then Draco found out and he wouldn't let it go…"

"Yes I'm glad you mentioned him, just what exactly is going on between the two of you?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Wow, and I thought my life was chaotic," Draco mused when Harry had imparted the events of his most recent encounter with Severus Snape as they lay side by side in Harry's bed in the early hours of the morning.

Harry had returned to his room at about one o' clock and had slipped quietly under the covers, not wanting to wake the apparently sleeping blond. When he had settled himself, he felt Draco shift slightly behind him and he shivered as Draco's breath ghosted over his ear as he whispered "Well, are you going to tell me what happened then?" And Harry had, he had told Draco everything, including how he had felt watching Snape's memory of him as baby and his mother.

"I know, the whole thing has just completely spun me out," said Harry into the darkness, feeling slightly comforted by the delicious heat that he could feel from Draco lying next to him. "You should have seen the memory though, it was like watching someone else, you wouldn't have believed it was the same man."

"I told you he was different," said Draco. "You only see one side of him, the mask he has to wear to world. I think if you took a chance and actually got to know him, you might like what you find," he said softly, unconsciously moving closer to the figure at his side.

"Do you think I should? Get to know him I mean,"

"Well, the man _is_ your father, it would be a shame not to. What have you got to lose? Nothing, but you _could_ be gaining a father, something you've always wanted, always _needed_," Draco said gently, not wanting to push Harry into any decision.

"Mm, maybe you're right. I don't think that things can ever be as they were, especially after what I've seen today. I think…I think he actually loved me, you know, the way he was behaving in that memory. How happy he was."

"I'm sure he _did_ love you, he probably still does, too. You're just going to have to find out, aren't you?"

Harry gave a little murmur of agreement and pulled the covers up tightly to him, shivering slightly with the cold chill of winter that seemed to be making its way through the castle. He moved closer to Draco and realised that he was leaning in to the other boy's side, pressing himself up against him. "I'm not hurting you am I?" he whispered, as he heard Draco take a small intake of breath.

"No, no it's fine," Draco replied quietly. "You can stay like that,"

"I'm just cold," Harry said a little apologetically.

"It's fine. I don't mind, really," Draco smiled, thankful the darkness hid it. Truthfully, he didn't mind Harry's close proximity in the slightest. "Let's get some sleep, who knows what tomorrow will bring?"

"If it's another day like today, then I think I'll stay right here, thank you very much,"

Draco laughed. He didn't much mind _that_ either.


	11. Blissfully Haven'd Both From Joy & Pain

**AN:** Hello again lovely readers, I'm back from Egypt! It was truly the most amazing time I've ever had in my life and everything was just breathtakingly spectacular. If you ever get the chance you have to go there, it really is fantastic.

Big shout out to my one of a kind BETA **XxRoGuExHeArTxX** who BETA'd this the second I gave it to her, despite the fact she's just moved to a knew city and school! You've got to admire the dedication! Thanks hun, couldn't do it without you!

**Review Responses: **

**shinoa Yuuki:** Lol, let's say stepmum! I'm sure they'll cope with alright, well, they're going to have to really! Glad you loved the chapter, it was a bitch to write!

**Whatshername1:** I updated, I updated! I even wrote on holiday just to satisfy your need for an update.

**Danuschka:** Lol, to be honest I have no idea what the date would be, only that it's Harry and Draco's 7th year and Ginny's 6th. I'm glad you like it though.

**randomtrees:** Oh don't worry, the Harry/Draco action you crave is just around the corner! Lol, I'm beginning to think you have an obsession with the word awesome! But hey, I don't mind you using it on me, I don't mind one bit!

**OneWhoSitsWithTheTurtles:** Thanks so much for such an enthusiastic review! Don't worry, the animagus transformation will happen soon, you have no idea how hard it was deciding which animals they should be! And don't worry about the Ginny/Snape thing, I'll have you convinced that it's a fantastic pairing!

**PaDfOot Da GrEaT:** Don't worry, a few more chapters and I'll have you convinced that no other person but Snape could be Harry's father! Glad you like the Harry/Draco stuff – you'll love this chapter then!

**notlikethem:** Thank you so much, what a wonderful compliment! Hope you enjoy this chapter.

**brionyjae:** I have to give total credit to my lovely BETA for the last line! She's a star ain't she? Bless Snape, he's one of my favs!

Hope you like……

**xXxXx**

"So how much did you tell him?" asked Draco the next morning as Harry emerged from the bathroom. Harry had just informed Draco that he had accidentally told Snape that Draco was staying with him.

"Only that you came to my door beaten and battered and I helped you and you're now staying with me. I thought I'd leave it up to you to fill him in on the details, that is, if you want him to know. I figured it should be your decision as to whether or not you want him to know the ins and outs of what happened," Harry replied, perching on the end of the bed.

"Thanks. I suppose he knows my father, he knows what he's like. If anyone would understand, it would be him. I might go and see him later," Draco said, mulling the idea over.

"Are you up to getting out of bed?"

"I'm sure I'll manage, I can't stay in here for the rest of my life!" he replied, though at that point, he didn't have too many objections to his present state of living, even counting his extensive injuries.

"Well, just take it slow, you're still healing and I don't very much fancy having to fix up re-opened wounds, so just take care," Harry warned, shifting himself so that he was lying fully on the bed, looking up at his blond companion.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were worried," Draco teased.

"Ah, but you _don't_ know any better," Harry replied with a smirk, a trademark he was becoming all too familiar with.

Getting Draco out of bed and down the stairs to the Potions dungeons turned out to be more of hassle than expected, and eventually turned into a full-scale operation. Harry had to almost lift Draco out of the bed, which wasn't an easy task considering Draco was almost exactly the same weight as him. Harry found himself cursing the genius whose clever idea it had been to place the Potions classroom all the way down in the dungeons as he and Draco hobbled down there, taking each step at a torturously slow pace. By the end of it both boys were exhausted and rather short of breath, though they managed to find some humour in the situation and by the time they reached the door of the Potions dungeons, they were in fits of laughter.

"You're an idiot," laughed Harry as he rested Draco against the wall of the dungeon. "I can't believe you lost your footing down the stairs of the Great Hall, you almost had us both down!"

"Your seeker reflexes are becoming poor, Potter, you should have managed to catch me in time! Now I have a rather painful backside along with everything else!" said Draco, trying to keep the grin from his face as he remembered the ridiculous scene they had made as they had tried to manoeuvre themselves down the steep, grand staircase of the Great Hall. It had been like a sketch from a slapstick comedy show.

"Well at least I got you down here in one piece. If you'd been in charge, we'd both probably be lying somewhere with broken necks! I thought you were graceful, turns out you're more clumsy than Ron!" Harry teased.

"That was low, Potter," Draco said darkly.

"Are you planning to stand outside my door all day, or were you actually thinking of knocking?" came a low, smooth voice from behind them, and they both turned to see Snape standing in the doorway, his arms folded, surveying them with a half-amused, half-curious look.

"Sorry sir, we were just talking," said Draco.

"So I see, well what can I do for you?" he asked smoothly, sending Harry a strange, almost warm look.

"Actually it was Draco who needed to speak with you, but would it be ok if I came back later?" Harry asked awkwardly. He couldn't stop thinking of this man as the cold, unpleasant Potions Master who despised him, rather than his own father who…loved him? His mind simply couldn't fathom that it was the same man.

"Of course, you don't need to ask," Severus replied, looking somewhat pleased that Harry was actually asking to spend time with him. "Come and see me whenever you wish, I shall be at Hogwarts all day."

Harry nodded and gave Draco a reassuring smile, then headed off back up the stairs to the main part of the school. He _did_ need to speak Severus; there were still a million and one things that needed to be sorted, most of which had kept him awake for a good long while the previous night. He needed to understand all that he had been told; how was suddenly supposed to understand that his father was a man who he had thought hated him ever since they had known each other? All this he needed, but first he needed to speak to another professor who played an important part in his life.

**xXxXx**

Draco followed Severus into his office and took the seat in front of his desk, lowering himself carefully into it, for he was still incredibly sore and risked re-opening any of his wounds. Severus watched him carefully, noting how gingerly the boy was walking and seeing the cuts and marks on his porcelain-like face.

"Well," he said, taking a seat behind his desk. "To what do I owe this unexpected visit?" he asked.

Draco sighed, choosing his words carefully. He knew where the man's allegiances lay, that he was a man to be trusted, but it was still a rather delicate matter that he was about to discuss with him, one which Draco was still trying to come to terms with himself. "I don't know whether you're aware, but over the Yule holidays, I was supposed to be initiated," Draco paused slightly and Severus gave a small nod. "Well…well when it came to the ceremony, I just...refused, I couldn't go through with it. I somehow…I don't know…repelled the mark," Draco said, tripping over his words slightly, something which one would never usually attribute to the blond. "And they couldn't initiate me. Voldemort and my father were…furious, livid; they said I had to be punished for rejecting such an honour. I was taken to the dungeons of the manor and beaten and cursed I don't know how many times, I hardly even know how I managed to survive it. They left me there, thinking that I'd just crawl into a corner and die or something, but I know my house well, better even than my father, I think. I took the secret passageways out, barely even conscious, found an old broom of mine and went straight to Hogwarts; that's the only place that seemed…safe," he said quietly, his eyes shifting to the floor.

"But why to Harry?" Severus asked softly, trying to get used to the use of the first name again after such a long time.

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure myself," Draco replied with a slight shake of his head. "I wasn't thinking straight at all, but I suppose I just thought that his damned Gryffindor goodness would kick in and that he'd been incapable of turning away a poor soul in need of help. That and…" he trailed off slightly.

"And?" Severus prompted.

"Well, things have…changed between us lately," Draco said, remembering the passionate moment they had shared before the holidays, not that he had been able to forget it. "I can't explain it, but as we changed individually, so did our…relationship, if you can call it that," he said, rolling his eyes. "I suppose we've formed a truce of sorts, and now we're on the same side – "

"Same side?" Severus interjected. "Does that mean you've decided to fight for the Light then?" he asked.

"I don't know, I suppose so, I mean, I didn't accept the Mark, I'm certainly not one of them. I'm just not sure I belong on the Light side," Draco said.

"Draco, if _I_ do, then I'm sure there's a place for you. With your deep knowledge of the Dark Arts coupled with all the information you must have on the top Death Eaters, you could be a valuable asset. You can obviously not become a spy, but you will be able to do good work for us, for yourself. I'm sure you do not wish for Voldemort to rise to power. You don't want to have to live in a world ruled by fear and depravity; that's why you didn't accept the Mark, why you _couldn't_. You're not like them, Draco, and you're most certainly not your father, that's always been most evident. Think about it. Whatever your decision, you can be sure we'll protect you, you needn't worry about that, but we would be very glad to have such a powerful wizard fighting with us," Severus said seriously, his onyx eyes meeting Draco's steely ones. "Just promise me you'll give it some thought," he said.

"Like I haven't been doing anything else since I got here," Draco said with a sigh. Apart from his conversations with Harry, he had been doing little else besides contemplating the events of the initiation night and considering what his options would now be. He had known since the beginning of his 6th year that he couldn't serve Voldemort, he couldn't walk down the same sick and twisted path that his father so devotedly followed, he just couldn't.

Up until that time he had been sure that that would be the life for him, he had welcomed the prospect with open arms, having been taught to do so by his father since the time of his birth. But as time passed and he slowly began to step out of his father's shadow, he began to see that the life that he was starting to live was not for him. True he wasn't a 'good guy'; he wasn't trustworthy or honest (most of the time), he wasn't chivalrous or virtuous, but he wasn't evil, and he definitely didn't want to see the collapse of wizardkind.

"It's a big decision to make, but I'm sure you'll make the right one," Severus said, leaning back in his chair. "Thank you for coming to see me, and I truly am sorry for what you've had to go through. I know Lucius has changed since his return from Azkaban," Severus said, noting how Draco seemed to tense slightly. "He wasn't always like that, even when you were younger, it's only recently he's become so…fanatical. I know how hard it is when the greatness of one's idol fades away suddenly and you're left to realise that you are looking at nothing more than a mere mortal, fallible and imperfect,"

"I think 'imperfect' is putting it mildly where Lucius is concerned," said Draco with a sneer at the thought of his father.

"Yes, perhaps," Severus conceded. "Are you going to stay with Harry for the rest of the holidays?"

Draco nodded. "It's so strange to hear you call him 'Harry'," he said. "I couldn't quite believe it when he told me yesterday night, at first I thought he was joking. I can't believe I never knew you were a Keeper,"

"No one knew Draco, apart from Dumbledore, Lupin and Miss Weasley, but that was only recently," Severus said with a roll of his eyes.

"Why does Ginny Weasley know?" asked Draco, with a look that clearly said 'how come _she_ knew and _I _didn't?'.

"That girl has more knowledge than the whole of Hogwarts library! She guessed, guessed everything, including the fact that Harry was my son. The girl's mind is quite extraordinary, I don't think I've ever had a pupil like her; she's so quick and sharp and couldn't give a damn what I said or did to her!" Severus said, remembering all the many times he had worked with her and noted all these things.

"Severus, you're in very serious danger of sounding impressed with the girl!" Draco said, half-teasingly, half wondering where on earth the real Severus Snape was.

"I wouldn't go that far," Severus said. "But she _does_ possess a certain something that no other student here does, I think you might like her actually, she's like you in many ways,"

"Severus, you know I bat for the other team," Draco said with a smirk.

"I didn't mean _romantically_," he said.

"Oh no, sorry, you're keeping her for yourself," Draco said with an evil smile and a wink.

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response."

**xXxXx**

Harry, meanwhile, had been sitting in Lupin's office, sipping at coffee and discussing the whole confused and muddled situation with the werewolf. Remus, as usual, had not been surprised to see Harry standing in his doorway and had wordlessly invited him in, automatically handing him a drink and sitting across from him. As always, he had waited for Harry to start the conversation and the Gryffindor had paused for a few moments before opening with, "What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

Remus had allowed himself a little smile, somewhat relieved that Harry hadn't been angry about the fact that he had known Severus was his father and had never said a word to him about it. He told Harry that all he could do would be to see how things went, to let them take their natural course and to at least try to get to know his father and to see past the façade of the snarky, cruel Potions Master.

"You have to understand, Harry, the man has had to carry this around with him for almost eighteen years. He's had to see his son every day, knowing that the boy despises him, believes him to be nothing in his life but an irritant. He's had to watch you see photos of James and Lily, believing them to be your parents, loving them, mourning them. You can't imagine how difficult it's been for him. For the first eleven years of your life he didn't even see you, apart from maybe the odd glance here and there when he stole away to Privet Drive to catch a glimpse of you. I almost thought he might do harm to himself in those years, he entered such a pit of despair, you would not have believed it possible for one man to feel so much pain. You and Liana were his world, Harry. The day you were born I think he felt his life was complete. He had had so much heartache and such a wretched existence up until the time he met your mother, and when they married, he changed, his life changed. He found joy and love and realised that life could offer more than just misery. Then it was all just snatched away from him, in a heartbeat all that he had come to love and live for had vanished and it very nearly destroyed him. I think if nothing else, you should at least be able to respect him for being strong enough to play his role so well all these years to ensure you came to no harm," Remus said solemnly, hoping that his words would make Harry see Severus the way he should have been seen.

"He showed me a memory," Harry said quietly. "Of when I was a baby, with him and my mother. It was hard to believe I was looking at the same man; he was happy and so alive. The way he looked at me, and the way he was speaking, he sounded as though he really loved me," Harry said, trying to sort that idea in his mind, something he was having a very hard time doing.

"Of course he loved you, anyone who saw him with you couldn't doubt that. I would say he very probably still _does_ Harry, you can't simply forget those feelings, especially when they're as strong as his were for you. All I'm saying is that you should give him chance, get to know him, no one's asking you to play happy families right away."

"I _do_ want to get to know him, he _is_ my…father after all. I just can't get used to thinking of him as my…dad."

"It'll take time, but he might just surprise you, you might just surprise yourself."

"I don't think I can take any more surprises," he said and Remus laughed lightly. "Anyway I'd better go, I said I'd go back to collect Draco, he can't make it back up the stairs on his own. This should be another fun adventure; we just about made it going down the bloody stairs, but _up_, that's another matter entirely."

**xXxXx**

Harry and Draco sat in the Gryffindor common room, lounging lazily on the comfy sofa in front of the fire. Draco was still suffering with quite a lot of pain, and he was still healing, but he wasn't at the stage where he constantly needed to be in bed. It was lucky that hardly anyone was in the school; with the approaching war, most people felt that if it was at all possible that they could spend time with their families, then they should. It meant that Harry and Draco practically had free run of the place, especially Gryffindor tower, and they had no need for stealth or secrecy.

Harry sat cross-legged, staring at the falling snow out of the huge diamond-shaped window, his mind taking him back to a time when he had sat in the Owlery with a certain person, sitting almost as closely to him now. In all the confusion of the past couple of days, Harry hadn't had the time to meditate upon the incredibly complicated relationship he now had with Draco. Things had, of course, been different between them since the start of term, but now they had a sort of unspoken truce, which seemed to be leading to a strange, but oddly comfortable friendship.

He couldn't help but think though, that it was a peculiar kind of friendship that involved a kiss like the one they had shared before the holidays. A kiss like the one he hadn't been fully able to put out of his mind, a kiss that still sent his senses reeling at the slightest thought of it. Neither of them had mentioned it since, either because of the current situation Harry now found himself in, or because both were more than a bit reluctant to bring up a subject that required such delicate handling. Whatever the reason, Harry was sure that the avoidance of the topic was the cause of the slight tension that had settled itself between him and Draco.

He shifted his gaze from the snow to the blond as he heard him wince slightly as he shifted round in the sofa. "What's wrong?" he asked softly.

"The cut on my stomach, it's a little sore," said Draco dismissively.

"Draco that's a little more than a cut, it's a stab wound. Here, let me take a look, lift up your shirt," he instructed, scooting up the sofa closer to Draco. Draco carefully did as he was told and Harry gently removed the bandage that covered the deep, angry wound. Harry's long fingers delicately brushed Draco's pale skin and cautiously examined the source of Draco's pain. His touch was so light and so gentle that Draco could barely feel it, but he was all too aware of it, all too aware of skin on skin. "Mm," said Harry thoughtfully. "It's definitely healing, you're lucky it was quite a clean cut. Give it a bit more time and just go easy on it and you should be fine, no strenuous activity though," he said, looking up at Draco, but not removing his hand from Draco's torso.

"What kind of strenuous activity are you talking about, Potter?" asked Draco, with an entirely evil smirk.

"Don't make me smack you, I'd hate have to attack a defenceless invalid such as yourself," Harry returned.

"Defenceless invalid my arse," scoffed Draco.

"Oh right, you're the picture of health," Harry teased, knowing how frustrated being incapacitated was making the blond. "Seriously though, just rest up, maybe you did too much today going gallivanting about the castle," he said, suddenly feeling the heat that was radiating from Draco's stomach through to his own hand, which still rested lightly there; a stark contrast of tan and marble white. Draco, it seemed, had noticed it too, for the smirk had vanished from his lips and his expression had changed to something…else, something that Harry couldn't quite read. The tension that had briefly disappeared now seemed to have returned with full force and settled itself right in between the two boys who now sat next to each other, eyes locked in some kind of strange appraisal. "Just um…" he said, clearing his throat. "Just take it easy for a few more days," he said, hoping to dispel some of the tension and failing completely. "You need to give your body time to heal," he continued, not really sure why he was persisting in speech.

Draco nodded mutely, his eyes flickering from Harry's own to Harry's strong, tanned hand resting against his abdomen. It was beginning to tingle slightly and although Draco was begging, pleading with his mind not to, it kept providing him with memories of the kiss they had shared in the Potions corridor; all intensity and heat and such sweet release. It was difficult to stop oneself from remembering something that potent. Something seemed to snap in Harry and he withdrew his hand, placing the offending extremity behind his back as though to stop himself from touching Draco again.

"You know," said Draco quietly, not even sure why he was about what he was about to. "One of is going to have to mention what happened that day in the Potions corridor," he said levelly, not taking his eyes off Harry, who looked up at him, then down at his knees.

"Well, I think you'll find that one of us just did," he replied, highly uncertain as to whether or not he wished to have that conversation at that point in time.

"We were both having a hard time," said Draco, choosing his words carefully. "I don't know, maybe we were just…seeking comfort."

"You think so?" Harry asked, not in the slightest bit convinced that that was all it was. "You didn't feel that it was something…else?" he asked tentatively.

"I um…I don't know," Draco said with a frown, unable to stop himself from shifting his eyes to Harry's lips and the brunette sat biting on his bottom lip, as Draco had noticed he had a habit to do. He became all too aware again of how close they both were, and of the fact that his shirt was lying discarded on the floor, leaving his pale, smooth skin utterly exposed. "Are you sorry it happened?" he asked quietly, meeting Harry's eyes.

"No," he replied, almost inaudibly, and before he could even think about stopping himself, he had closed the little space between them and pressed his lips to Draco's. The sweet, beautiful release he felt upon the contact was almost indescribable. He poured everything into the kiss, all the tension and emotion he had been feeling, and he could feel Draco doing the same. He let out a soft moan as he felt Draco respond underneath him, and he pressed himself a little closer, taking care not to hurt him, even though he wanted as much contact as possible.

Draco's hands wound their way into Harry's hair as Harry's own rested on the arm of the sofa, supporting him above Draco. He had absolutely no thoughts of resisting as Harry's tongue slid across his bottom lip then deliciously slowly into his mouth, tasting, savouring. He let out a soft moan of complaint as Harry's lips left his, but he was soon silenced as they reappeared, this time at his neck, slowly making their way down to his chest. They brushed gently over the cuts and wounds littered there, as though Harry was trying to kiss any pain away, and at that point, Draco had never felt less pain in his life.

"Mm," he moaned, as Harry's lips sent a delightful shiver through him, driving all rational, or indeed any, thoughts from his clouded mind. He tugged on Harry's collar and brought him up so that their lips met once again, suddenly desperate for that delicious contact. When they finally broke apart, they were slightly breathless and their eyes held a fire that they had only seen in each other during the most heated of their arguments. "Well," began Draco, catching his breath. "I'm really glad we had this conversation," he said with a smirk, eliciting a grin from Harry.

"You and me both."

**xXxXx**

Ginny was bored. She was sure she had read every single book in the whole damn house and she had finished every single piece of holiday work her teachers had given her. She had even resorted to cleaning the whole upper floor of the house, which now practically sparkled. Molly had commented that she wished her daughter would become bored more often – the Burrow would be a veritable palace.

The only thing that was keeping her remotely sane was her research for the potion she was working on with Snape. The library at Grimmauld Place was full of books relating to Potions, Curses and some ventured into the Dark Arts, though these she read without her mother's knowledge. She had formulated a couple of theories and had very much broadened her knowledge in several areas in the hopes of helping her finding a solution.

All the same, she was fidgety, and fed up of being stuck in the same place day after day. It had been nice to spend some quality time with Fred and George, whom she hadn't seen much of before the holidays. They had been entertaining her with their latest schemes and antics, and whilst she enjoyed every minute of their time spent together, she was still looking for something else.

"Where you going, pet?" asked Fred as Ginny came down the stairs carrying notebooks, textbooks and various dusty tomes.

"I'm just popping to Hogwarts for the evening, I have a few things to discuss with Professor Snape, don't wait up," she said, heading to the fireplace.

"Do you realise how disturbing it is to hear you say 'don't wait up' when you're going to spend time with Snape?" asked George with a grin, looking up from the game of chess he had been playing with his twin. Ginny smiled as she managed to grab a pinch of floo powder. "Are you still working on the antidote?" he asked, becoming more serious.

"Mm, we're making a bit of headway, but not nearly enough. People are dying from this curse, and there are many more lying in St. Mungo's fighting for their lives. We need to find a cure. I'm not prepared to let more people lose their lives."

"If anyone can do it, I'm sure you can, Gin. Give our fondest regards to Snape hey?" Fred added with a grin.

"Oh I will," Ginny smiled back, stepping into the fireplace, throwing the powder into the flames and clearly stating 'Hogwarts' as her destination. She stepped out of the fireplace in the Great Hall and dusted herself off, balancing all the books on her hips, but not managing to keep hold of the heaviest tome that was balanced on top, which went crashing to the floor with a resounding thud. "Never was much of a juggler," she murmured, kneeling to the floor, not noticing the figure that had come up behind her. She stood and turned, almost dropping the whole lot as she came face to face with her Potions Master. "Don't _do_ that!" she said, placing a hand over her fast-beating heart, giving him a glare.

"I thought you knew everything, Miss Weasley, surely you knew I was there?" he returned with a smirk.

"Oh of course, I just didn't wish to deprive you of the pleasure I knew you would get in seeing me almost have a heart attack," she replied smoothly, her pulse rate returning to a more bearable pace. "Would you care to help me with a few of these?" she asked, and he took a few of the books from her arms.

"I take it you were coming to see me?" he asked, and she nodded. "Very well, come on then," he said, and they began walking in the direction of the dungeons. He opened the door and allowed her to step inside in front of him, placing the books on his desk. He gestured for her to take a seat and then did so himself behind his desk. "To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?" he asked silkily.

"I thought you might be missing me," Ginny replied just as silkily, but carried on before he had a chance to reprimand her for her slight cheek. "I was bored out of my skull and I also had a few theories I wanted to discuss with you about the antidote, do you mind?" she asked.

"I'm sure if I did it wouldn't matter to you in the slightest," he responded dryly.

She merely gave him an amused smile then stood and walked round to stand beside him. Opening a couple of notebooks and finding a few marked places in the textbooks, she carefully explained the theories she had been formulating involving the use of crushed hellebore as a base for the antidote, and she was pleased when she saw the pensive, considering look that graced his features. "The purgative effect of the hellebore could cleanse the body of any remnants of the curse. It's come to my attention that this seems to be a curse whose magical properties linger in the bloodstream, if we could purge that out of the victim's body, we'd give them a fighting chance," Ginny said, her eyes shining with the excitement of a breakthrough.

He noticed that she was standing rather close, leaning over him slightly as she pointed out certain sentences and diagrams in the books and her meticulous notes. He allowed himself to take advantage of the opportunity to study her features as he had done when she had fallen asleep not so long ago. She had well-defined cheekbones, the sign of a pureblood, and smooth, ivory skin, dusted with freckles. Her eyes were a rich chocolate, eyes that he managed to identify through her disguise of 'Aurelia Anderson' thanks to their brilliance and uniqueness. She had grown into her looks and was now a rather stunning young woman, as much as Severus hated to admit it.

"So what do you think?" she asked, her eyes going from her work to his own black ones.

"I think it's an interesting idea, you've obviously been doing your research," he replied, shaking himself from his reverie.

"That couldn't have been a compliment could it?" Ginny asked teasingly. "Goodness, you're about to give me another heart attack!"

"Let's not go overboard, Miss Weasley," he said wryly. "Now, would you care to put your theory to the test?"

They worked for most of the night combining their various ideas and theories, Severus taking charge of the more dangerous or difficult work, whilst Ginny wrote detailed and thorough notes, outlining every single stage of their progress, or in some cases, lack thereof. They sat closely, pouring over the notes and textbooks, combining ideas and bouncing off each other with notions and hypothesises and examining every single avenue of thought scrupulously.

"Hm, now what did I read about the mandrake root that I thought sounded quite useful? I know it's around here somewhere," she said, leaning over Severus to reach the desired book. He couldn't help but inhale her perfume as she leant across him, invading his senses and filling them of nothing but her. "Oh here it is," she said, thumbing through the pages, her sharp eyes settling on the lines she was after. "'When coupled with holly, a symbol of resurrection, the restorative qualities in the mandrake root are almost doubled', we could see what that gives us," she said thoughtfully, sucking on the end of her quill. "How well would the properties of holly work with mandrake root?" she asked him.

"If brewed correctly, extremely well. However, the brewing can be incredibly complicated, one slip of the hand or an incorrect combining element and you could be looking at a rather nasty explosion," he told her.

"Hm, maybe I'll leave the brewing to you on that one then! Still, it's worth a try," she said, noting it down.

"Indeed," he replied, getting up from his seat and moving over to the various concoctions that were simmering away. Ginny watched as he examined each one, concentration etched into his face. She watched his long, elegant fingers carefully dice a couple more ingredients with ultimate precision and she watched as those hands tentatively, almost sensually, worked each component. Her mind couldn't help but recall what she had heard those men say at Parkinson's Yule Ball, that he made women beg for him, scream for him; she wondered if those hands played a big part in the inducement of that screaming.

She too rose from her seat and moved to stand next to him, studying his careful ministrations. His movements were so fluid and graceful, full of poise and elegance; it was quite a pleasure to watch him. "Almost done?" she asked quietly, trying not to disturb his concentration too much.

"A few more minutes and it should all be perfect," he replied.

"And we wouldn't want anything less than perfection," she said smoothly, her eyes meeting his.

"That would be unthinkable," he replied with a quirk of his eyebrow, slightly surprised at how easily he slipped into this way of being with her.

She was standing close to him again, her rich, vibrant eyes staring up into his dark, black ones, an almost teasing smile playing about her lips. He could smell her sweet perfume and the faint smell of vanilla and coconut that always seemed to encircle her. "Mm," she said. "No less than perfection, I'm sure we can manage that," she said, and Severus couldn't believe that she was actually using the same voice that she used when speaking as 'Aurelia Anderson'; rich, seductive tones that had seriously made him question his integrity that night.

"Indeed," he replied, keeping his voice neutral and his face impassive. There was no way in Hell that she was going to see that she had any kind of effect on him whatsoever, what on earth would she think of him? This was his student standing in front of him, albeit an audacious, brilliant, capricious student, but a student nonetheless. Although no student had ever looked at him the way she was doing at that moment, and that unnerved him more than any of his own thoughts ever could.

"I should…probably get going, I promised my family I wouldn't be back too late," she said, clearing her throat and breaking the somewhat tense silence. "I hope we've made some headway tonight, but I'll come again before the start of term to see how things are going," she promised, moving away from him and gathering her things together.

"Very well," he said, mentally kicking himself and piecing his brain back together.

"I hope you have a nice Christmas, Professor," she said, standing in front of him once again. "And I hope everything with Harry sorts itself out. He just needs to see what a good man you are, and I'm sure that won't be difficult," she said softly. "Goodbye sir," and with that she headed to the fireplace and flooed to Grimmauld Place before Snape could even register the complimentary words she had spoken.

**xXxXx**

"Draco, Draco I _really _have to go now," Harry said with a half-hearted attempt to pull himself out of Draco's grasp. They were sitting in front of the deliciously warm fire, Harry lying against Draco's chest, whilst Draco's lips were sensuously attacking Harry's neck. "I'm serious," Harry insisted, though his resolve was weakening fast.

"I don't care who you are, you're not going anywhere," Draco murmured, his arms tightening around Harry's chest as his lips worked their torturously slow way up Harry's throat to his jaw line.

"But I promised I'd go and see him," Harry persisted, his breath catching slightly as Draco found a particularly sensitive spot along his jaw.

"You know, this works so much better without talking," Draco replied, his lips finally leaving Harry's thoroughly ravished skin, tilting his head so he could look at Harry.

Harry smiled and rested his head in the crook of Draco's neck. They had been this way for much of the evening, sitting or lying with their bodies pressed closely together, exploring, discovering, becoming completely lost in each other. Harry hadn't felt such utter contentment in such a long time he actually couldn't remember the last time. He couldn't explain why, but when he was with this pale, beautiful boy, all his pain and worries seemed to just melt away and fade into an unimportant background. He felt…soothed, whole.

"I won't be gone long," he assured Draco. "But I _did_ say that I'd go and speak with Professor…with him, and I'm already a good few hours later than he expected!"

"I guess it's important," said Draco with a sigh. "What are you going to say to him?" he asked, his fingers slipping through the soft black locks on the head that rested on his shoulder.

"To be honest, I have absolutely no idea. Remus told me that I should try and get to know him, give him a chance like you said. I _do_ want to, but it's just complicated, you know?" He felt Draco nod as the pale fingers continued to wind through his hair. "At the moment I'm just trying to figure out how we can possibly go from Potions Master and pupil to father and son, the two pictures just don't seem to fit somehow."

"Give it time, you both need to adjust, it won't happen over night," Draco said softly.

"Yeah, you're right," Harry replied. "Ok, now I really have to go," he said, reluctantly untangling himself from Draco's limbs and rising to his feet. Almost immediately he missed the warmth and contact from the blond's body and he had half a mind to delay the meeting with Severus just so he could stay in this almost impossible pleasure. However, his rational mind took over and he leant down to give Draco a quick, soft kiss that promised much more. "I'll be back soon," he said in a half whisper.

"You'd better be, my wounds need tending to," Draco said with a mock pout.

"Don't worry, when I get back, I'll kiss them better."

And with that he stepped out of the portrait hole, leaving one very disgruntled and dissatisfied Slytherin behind.

XXxXx

**AN:** Well did we all like? If you did, you know what to do…go on…you know you want to ;-)


	12. Unreflecting Love

**AN:** Right, well I'm back again, ha you thought you'd got rid of me! No such luck I'm afraid! I really don't think I have anything interesting to tell you guys other than the fact that I'm back at college next week, so the updates might become a little erratic, but fear not, I have no plans to abandon this fic! Big thanks as always to the one, the only, the star of all stars, my BETA **XxRoGuExHeArTxX** who is an absolute treasure. Mwah! Don't know what I'd do without you darling.

**Review Responses:**

**randomtrees: **Hee hee, I'm glad I managed to make you so enthusiastic! Well, I'm glad you enjoyed the H/D – ness, now sit back and enjoy the Ginny/Snape action! (I like 'wow', it works for me!)

**Stormgreen Obsession: **I know the Ginny/Snape thing is a little weird, but I can just see Ginny as the kind of person Snape might be interested in enough to become involved with and besides, I just love the whole student/teacher thing! Don't worry, I'll bring you round to the idea! ;-) Enjoy the H/D – ness!

**Kris:** Aw thank you so much! Keep those kind of comments coming!

**Whatshername1:** That neverending circle sounds good to me! It means I'm always guaranteed at least one review! Hope you like the chapter!

**shinoa Yuuki:** I hope this chapter satisfies your need for some Ginny/Snape action! Keep reading!

**OneWhoSitsWithTheTurtles:** Aw, you say the nicest things! I know the Ginny/Snape thing is a bit odd, but I promise, I'll have you converted in no time! And Harry will just have to deal! (It's my fic so he has no choice!) Lol, hope you stick with the story.

**brionyjae:** Well here it is, you will wait no longer!

**IrishEnchantress:** Lol, if you liked the Ginny/Snape in that chapter, you love them in this! Thanks for the compliment, I'll try and keep it at a high standard! ;-)

So without further ado……………………………………….

**xXxXx**

"Sorry, I know I'm a lot later than you expected, but I was...caught up with Draco," said Harry apologetically as he entered the Potions room that night.

"Arguing?" Severus asked with a quirk of his eyebrow.

"Not…exactly," Harry replied, trying very hard to suppress a smirk. "We've actually been getting on a lot better lately," he said, the sheer effort required to keep from grinning making his facial muscles twinge.

Severus gave him an appraising look before gesturing for him to take a seat. Harry's smile dwindled. He couldn't help but remember all the other meetings he had with this man and how they had usually been somewhat less than pleasant. He knew this time was different; now he was there willingly and Snape wasn't looking at him with loathing and disgust, quite the opposite in fact. The man looked almost…nervous, apprehensive, as if he was worried that a wrong word would send Harry from the room and out of his life for good.

"I um…I was wondering if perhaps you'd show me…another memory?" Harry asked carefully, he didn't want to push the man too far with something that was obviously very painful for him.

Severus looked a little troubled for a moment, but he gave an almost imperceptible nod and moved towards a door at the end of the room. "This leads to my quarters, come with me," he instructed and Harry did so, following the man through into a kind of living room. Once there, Severus moved to a small cabinet in the corner of the room and extracted the pensieve, placing it on a large mahogany table. "I removed this before you came; I thought you might want to see something and this seemed perhaps the most the fitting. I suppose it's easier than explaining it all to you anyway. I don't think words would really be adequate."

Harry nodded in agreement; he was sure that there were no words that could fully describe and explain what had happened in that first year of his life, or what Severus had gone through. Some things transcended language so completely there really was no other option. He gave a sideways glance to the other man, Severus silently nodding his permission for Harry to step forward and begin learning of his own past.

_He landed gently on the floor of the memory and felt Severus do the same beside him. He looked over at the man, surprised to find his teeth clenched, a deep furrow marring the pale forehead. Harry had half a mind to tell him that it was ok, they needn't see the memory if it would be too much. But he found that he just couldn't. He needed to know, he needed to understand all the events and details that had led him to this point in his life, but also, he needed to see a time when he was loved, truly loved, even if it was by Severus Snape._

_He looked around and saw that he was in Dumbledore's office; not much had changed, save a different coloured chintz chair and a few knick-knacks. Darkness surrounded the chamber, palpable through the paned windows recessed in the wall behind the desk, but a few candles were burning and Harry could make out the figure of the Potions Master, hunched over in his chair, his hands clasped before him so tightly his knuckles had turned white. He slowly lifted his head and once again Harry saw a much younger version of the man, though this one was nowhere near as happy. The lines of worry etched into his face were plainly evident, and he looked as though he might be sick at any moment. When the door opened, he almost shot out of his seat, his face drawn with anxiety._

"_Well?" he asked shakily, his voice barely a whisper._

"_Merlin knows how Severus but he survived, he escaped with nothing more than a scar," said Dumbledore softly and Harry saw that he was cradling something tightly to his chest. "James and Lily were killed, Severus, Sirius found them, and Harry," said the old man, handing the fraught looking man the baby in his arms._

"_Harry!" Severus choked out, pulling the tiny infant close to him. "Oh God I thought I'd lost you again," he breathed, looking down into the brilliant emerald spheres that gazed up at him. "What's this?" he asked as his long fingers traced over the lightening bolt scar._

"_A memento from Tom," said Dumbledore gravely. "Severus he tried to perform the Killing Curse on Harry," he said, and Severus clenched his jaw tightly, pulling Harry even more closely to him. "Somehow the boy managed to…repel it, it backfired on Tom, finished him, and Harry was left with no more than that scar. It truly is remarkable, I think you have your proof that he is indeed one of the Chosen," Dumbledore said with a sad smile. _

"_Is it the end of Voldemort?" Severus asked, his voice slightly shaky, unable to take his eyes of the small form in his arms._

"_I fear not my boy," replied Dumbledore, his face grave and serious. "I am certain that he will have taken great lengths to ensure his immortality; he will be waiting somewhere, biding his time, gathering his strength and preparing to strike again."_

"_In the name of Merlin, why is this happening?" Severus asked, his face a mask of torment. "There are times I almost regret bringing him into the world, Albus. He was born for a purpose, to be used, used for other people's own ends! Oh I know the Circle are merely supposed to produce offspring and have done with them, no love or emotion involved, Heaven knows that's how my father was with me, but dammit I do love him! I can't stand the thought that it's my fault he's going through all this now! His life is in danger because I was obliged to produce an heir, to provide the world with their saviour. No thought was ever given to him, only that he should be brought into existence to serve the purpose of others! The whole thing is so utterly intolerable I can barely stomach it!" Severus raged, an intense fire burning in his eyes. "I love him so much, Albus, how can I bear it when I am the one who has placed this burden on his shoulders? When I am responsible for the danger he now finds himself in?" he asked, and Harry had never heard anyone sound so utterly broken in his entire life._

"_You cannot blame yourself for this situation, Severus," Dumbledore said gently. "You did not dictate the circumstances, you could not have prevented what happened. This is not your fault," he said a little more firmly._

_Severus let out an exhausted sigh and asked, "What's going to happen now?"_

"_The wizarding world will think that Voldemort has been defeated and that we have young Harry here to thank for it."_

"_I want to take him back," Severus said softly. "I just want him to be with me, I just want to love and protect him. Dammit all he's my son!" _

"_Severus, surely you see that you cannot take him back, although I know you wish with all your heart that you could," Dumbledore responded compassionately. "Voldemort is still very much a threat to Harry, he needs to placed where he'll be safe."_

"_He'll be safe with me," Severus growled. "I'm his father, do you think I wouldn't do anything to protect him?"_

"_I know you would, but I fear it's not enough. Not only that, the whole wizarding world thinks that he is James and Lily's son, that they died tonight and left him behind. You couldn't just go in and take him, everyone would know then, everyone would know the truth, Severus, and that is something you cannot afford to happen. Both yours and Harry's safety depend upon it. I think…I think it would be best if we were to send the boy to Lily's sister, I feel sure he would be safe there," Dumbledore said calmly._

"_He's not safe anywhere though is he?" he asked bitterly. " And will they love him? Care for him? Will they provide him with all the things I would? Will they too treat my son as if he were their own, getting the privilege of seeing him grow and learn and become the man he will become? Will they too rob me of my last thread of happiness?" Severus asked, sheer despair in his voice. "You wish to take him tonight don't you? I can see it in your eyes. You won't even grant me one last night with him."_

"_It must be tonight, my boy, we can take no chances. I will…leave you to say your goodbyes," said the old man, his brow crinkled with sadness as he discreetly left the room, leaving the broken man alone with his son. _

_Harry was sure he heard Severus choke back a sob as he shifted the baby round to sit on his knee, a slightly shaky hand supporting the small back. He took a moment, taking a few deep breaths in a futile attempt to calm his fraught nerves, and looked down at Harry, looking very much as though the situation was entirely too much for him to bear. "I can't believe you're being taken away from me again," he said in a voice that was barely audible. "I would have done anything to have kept you with me," he whispered. "But the old man is right, I have to put your safety and well-being above my own wishes. I just…can't bear the thought that I won't get to see you grow, I won't get to watch you as you take your first steps, say your first word…" his voice broke and he bit his lip hard to stop himself from breaking down completely. "I want you to know though that I love you very much, and I always will. Not a day will pass when I won't think about you, wonder what you're doing and how you're getting on. I'll do all that I can to protect you, even if that means giving you up yet again. I hope that one day you might understand that I'm doing this all for you, believe me it gives me no pleasure," he said quietly, holding the little boy close to him._

_The door opened and once again Dumbledore came in, a kind, cheerless expression on his face. "I'm afraid it's time, Severus. Are you ready?"_

"_Of course not," he responded harshly. "Would you be?" Dumbledore simply remained calm and kept his eye contact with the distraught man. "Please make sure he's safe," Severus implored softly and Dumbledore nodded. Severus gave Harry one last tight hug, and handed him gently over to the Headmaster, turning away as Dumbledore left the room silently, the only noise a soft little whimper from Harry._

"_Forgive me," Severus said quietly into the darkness before he sank to his knees and released pained, aggrieved sobs, his will and heart now utterly shattered._

Harry felt a slight tug and he was back in Severus' quarters, trying very hard to stop his own tears from falling after what he had just seen. Severus looked grave and paler than usual and Harry rested a tentative arm on his shoulder. "Thank you…for showing me, I know it can't have been easy," he said quietly. Severus gave a small nod and turned his head to face Harry.

"That night was probably the hardest of my life," he said softly. "I knew that I would likely not be able to see you again until your arrival here, and that would be eleven years down the line! Harry, whatever you think of me, whatever opinions I have forced you to form through my behaviour towards you, you must understand that what I did, I did for you, I did it thinking that it was for the best. All I ever tried to do was be a good father, I never wanted to be anything else."

It was Harry's turn to nod in understanding, still fighting back the tears that had been threatening to fall ever since he heard Severus' last few words to him. "You were," he said in a whispered voice. "I just wish I'd have known sooner, I wish you could have told me the second I arrived here rather than let me hate you all these years. So much time, just wasted, lost," he said sadly.

"I know, but I couldn't tell you, the laws of the Circle forbade it. Believe me, I wished I could but…well we all have rules we must abide by no matter how hard we find them. I hope…I hope that you might one day be able to forgive me," he said, suddenly unable to meet Harry's eyes.

"There's nothing to forgive," Harry insisted gently. "I understand why you did what you did, I really do. You can't keep torturing yourself over the past. Believe me, it does no good," he said in such a firm tone that Severus couldn't help but look back into his son's eyes. "Can I um…can I ask you something?" Harry asked carefully.

"Within reason," he replied with a slight smirk – what _was_ it with Slytherins and that expression?

"Could I maybe call you by your first name? I mean only when we're not in public, it just seems silly and rather awkward to go on calling you 'Professor' now I know who you are," said Harry in rush, trying desperately to justify his reason for his request in case the man thought him silly or inappropriate for asking.

"Harry," Severus said, the smirk changing more to something vaguely resembling a smile. "That would be fine, I'm glad you asked," he said and Harry couldn't help but return the smile.

"Thanks," he said. "I should probably get back, I said I wouldn't be long," he said, heading for the door, Severus close behind.

"You're rushing back to be with Draco?" asked Severus amusedly.

Harry fought a blush as he answered, "Like I said, we're getting on much better now, and he's still recovering from his injuries so I guess it's hard to feel any animosity towards him," he replied, praying fervently that Severus wouldn't read anymore into the situation. "Things have been different between us all term."

"I'd noticed. I hope the alliance lasts, it will do you both good."

All Harry could do was nod; he really didn't trust his mouth at that point not to give him away, his burning cheeks were doing a good enough job of that as it was. "I'll see you, then," he said with a nod and a smile, then made his way out of the Potions dungeons and back up to the warmth of Gryffindor tower and the blond who was waiting for him.

**xXxXx**

"If that's your idea of not being gone long, we need to have a serious discussion about your grasp of time!" were the words he was greeted with as he stepped through the portrait hole in the common room.

"Aw did you miss me?" he teased as he sat down on the sofa next to the pouting blond.

"You wish," he returned with an evil smirk. "I was just bored, I needed some entertainment."

"Entertainment? What kind of entertainment did you have in mind?" Harry asked, leaning in closely to Draco, a predatory smile on his lips, one hand winding its way to rest at the base of Draco's neck, fingers gently stroking the beautiful pale skin underneath the soft blond hair.

"Oh you know, maybe charades, cards, perhaps even some studying if we…"Draco's 'innocent' speech was cut short by Harry crushing his lips in a long-awaited kiss.

"Tease," Harry murmured against Draco's lips, though he was soon silenced by Draco's unbelievably skilled tongue snaking its way into his mouth. He moaned, a low deep sound in the back of his throat as Draco pressed himself up against him, hooking one leg round Harry's waist. His hands wound themselves through Draco's hair, pulling the blond as closely to him as physically possible, and Draco responded by pulling himself up so he was straddling Harry, one hand at Harry's neck, the other on Harry's chest as he continued his exploration of Harry's mouth.

"So you're not in as much pain as you make out then?" Harry asked with a smirk as Draco's lips left his and began to trail a path across his well-defined jaw.

"Oh no I am," Draco replied in between kisses. "But I've discovered this is rather good therapy, I'll be back to my old self in no time," he said, his tongue darting out to tease the small patch of skin by Harry's ear that Draco had learnt elicited a rather delightful sound from the raven haired boy who was now writhing beneath him.

"Heaven forbid," Harry replied, rather impressed with himself that he could still remember what sarcasm was even with Draco's tongue behaving like it had a life of its own.

"Cheeky," the blond murmured, nipping at Harry's earlobe, pressing himself right up against him, the contact almost painfully pleasurable. "I guess you're right though, don't want to overexert myself too much. What was it you said – no 'strenuous activity'?" he said with a smirk, finally removing his lips from Harry's skin, though retaining his rather comfortable position straddled across Harry's lap.

"Yes, but I think this kind of activity should be just fine," Harry replied, his hands settling on Draco's waist.

"I'm sure you do. Come on, it's late, we're tired and I'm still covered in puncture wounds! Besides, I can see you want to tell me about what happened with Severus tonight," he said softly, brushing a few strands of hair out of Harry's eyes.

"How did you…"

"I can just tell. Come on. Bed," he said, shifting off Harry, pulling him up with him and dragging him up the stairs to Harry's room.

"Ooh I love it when you get all dominant!"

Draco only responded by looking over his shoulder at Harry and quirking an eyebrow in an incredibly suggestive way.

**xXxXx**

"That's harsh. I mean I knew that he hadn't had the best life, I knew he'd had some difficulties, but that's a lot for any man to go through," said Draco, lying on his side in Harry's bed, propped up by his right elbow while his left hand slowly traced patterns across Harry's exposed chest inducing a pleasant shiver now and then.

"I know. It's definitely made me see him differently, made me think that it might be possible to have some kind of…relationship with him. But…do you think…" he trailed off.

"Do I think what?" Draco inquired softly.

"Do you think it's possible to just forget everything that's happened between us, is it possible to forget all that's been done and said over the years? Can people really start again?" he asked, looking up through the darkness into Draco's storm grey eyes.

"Harry," he said with a slightly amused expression. "Look at us," he said, leaning down to place a soft, chaste kiss on Harry's lips. "Now go to sleep and stop worrying about everything," he said, shifting down in the bed and settling his head on Harry's shoulder, an arm thrown round his waist.

"I didn't have you pegged for the 'snuggling' type," said Harry with a smirk, his arm around Draco's shoulders.

"I'm not, it's cold," Draco growled.

"Whatever you say."

**xXxXx**

"Harry, Harry, Harry!"

The aforementioned Harry was making a valiant attempt to ignore the blond nuisance who had his legs draped over Harry's lap while relentlessly prodding him in the arm, trying to get his attention. Outwardly he was making no progress whatsoever; Harry had simply continued to study the book on animagus transformation, not batting an eyelid, calmly turning page after page. Inwardly, Harry was distracted on two very different levels. On the first, he was about ready to kill his blond companion, and wrench off the finger that was persistently poking his arm. On the second, he was about ready to _jump_ said blond companion and do things to him that would make a harlot blush. He was sitting as close to Harry as physically possible and Harry was beginning to like Draco's close physical presence quite a lot.

"Come on you've been studying all morning, it's Christmas Eve, no one studies on Christmas Eve!" Draco insisted.

"I really want to be able to do this transformation. I'll only be able to do that if I study! Don't you have anything to do?" he asked, finally taking his eyes of the book to glance at Draco.

"Plenty, but none that I plan to even attempt on Christmas Eve! You don't need to study this hard, you can do it all anyway," Draco said, resting his head on the back of the sofa.

"I can only do some things, and they're all down to mere fluke! Something like this requires a lot of hard work on my part, believe me. I don't have the natural aptitude that Hermione or even you have. I'm determined to do this," he said seriously.

"You will, but you can't overload your brain in the process. You were studying and working like a man possessed all last term."

"I know, but I need to know things, Draco, I can't afford to make mistakes now, this is it, the final hurdle. I need to know all that I possibly can, I need to be…"

"What, infallible? It's a wonderful aspiration but Harry you're only human," Draco said gently but firmly.

"I know that but…"

Before he could go any further, a tapping at the window stopped the conversation, making both boys turn to see what the source of the disruption was. A dignified looking eagle owl was hovering outside, tapping the glass with its beak now and then, a highly impatient look on its regal face. Harry glanced across at Draco and was surprised to see that whilst before the blond had been looking much better, a healthy pink tinge to his cheek, he had now paled considerably and was looking quite ill.

"Draco? What is it, what's wrong?" he inquired, giving him a gentle shake.

"It's…it's Lucius' owl," Draco replied softly, his eyes not leaving the suspended creature.

"You don't have to…" Harry began as Draco rose from the sofa and walked gingerly over to the window.

"I need to," he replied, letting the owl in and removing the letter from his leg with slightly shaky hands. He slowly unfolded the parchment and his serious grey eyes scanned the words he found written upon it. Harry saw him visibly tense, then brace himself, taking one deep breath. Wordlessly he handed it to Harry for him to read, but remained standing, his eyes looking ahead to the distance, solemn and steady.

Harry looked down at the letter in his hands and saw the small, precise writing of Lucius Malfoy.

_Draco,_

_The events of this holiday have filled me with the bitterest regret and deepest disappointment. All your life you have been provided with the best and been given a life of luxury. You have always been taught that family loyalty, above all else, is of the utmost importance, and with that family loyalty must come the adoption of any political affiliations. From the moment of your birth, I have always intended for you to take the path that I myself have chosen, to follow in my own worthy footsteps and to take my place in the service of the Great Dark Lord. It is a position which many have killed to acquire, yet when offered to you, it was cast it aside without thought or regret. _

_I had always credited you with a high level of intelligence, now I see what a grave mistake in investing my time and faith in you has been. I am writing this letter to inform you that you have been disinherited and disowned. Henceforth I am ceasing all contact between us and from here on in, I have no son. You are a disgrace to your name and your class and will be forever known as a blood traitor and an embarrassment. I am thoroughly disgusted with you._

_Lucius Malfoy_

"And that's that," said Draco quietly as Harry lowered the letter, looking back up at him.

"I'm sorry," he replied, though a part of him couldn't help but be glad that all Draco's ties with Lucius Malfoy had now been severed. Draco gave a small, humourless laugh.

"Slightly ironic, don't you think, that just as you find a father I lose one," he said, and Harry could see that he was trying almost desperately to keep his composure.

He rose from his seat and pulled the slightly shaking blond into his arms, holding him tightly, one hand cradling the blond head against his shoulder, the other rubbing his back soothingly. Draco's arms wrapped themselves tightly around Harry's waist, clinging to him, drawing strength from his silent comfort. It wasn't that he was heartbroken to be free of his father, it just felt like a small part of himself had been irrevocably lost somehow.

"I was expecting it," he said softly into Harry's shoulder.

"Doesn't make it any easier though does it?" Harry asked gently, his fingers twining through Draco's soft hair. "What will you do now?"

"Re-evaluate my future I suppose."

**xXxXx**

Harry held Draco for a good long while before finally releasing him, giving him a warm, encouraging smile. Draco had gone from looking slightly shaken to resolutely determined and when Harry questioned the change in him, he had simply responded by saying, "I think it's time to go to Dumbledore." That was why they were now sat in the Headmaster's office, the old man eyeing them curiously, though with an expression that welcomed confidence. They both politely refused the offered lemon-drop and Harry sat back in his chair, watching Draco carefully, giving him his silent but strong support.

The blond laced and unlaced his hands a couple of times before finally stilling himself and looking Dumbledore straight in the eye. Taking a deep breath, he said, "I've been disowned and disinherited sir, I no longer have any connection with Lucius Malfoy…or Lord Voldemort. Certain events over this holiday have seen to that."

"And, might I ask what these events were?" Dumbledore asked carefully, looking over his glasses at the boy, at the man, before him. "Would I be correct in assuming that they are linked with the bruising and cuts I see on your face?" Draco gave a small nod. "I see, may I ask how they were acquired?"

"I…I mean my father, he…there was…" Draco trailed off, the memory obviously distressing him. Harry placed a soothing, steadying hand on his shoulder and picked up where he had left off.

"Draco was meant to be initiated over the holidays, Sir," Harry said, and if Dumbledore was surprised by Harry's treatment of the blond, he didn't show it. "However, when it came down to it, he couldn't go through with it and his father and the other Death Eaters beat him almost to death. He escaped and came here and I helped him. He's refused Voldemort and is now known among the Death Eaters as a traitor. He needs your protection, Sir," Harry said gravely.

"Hogwarts always has been and always will be a sanctuary for those who seek help and it will be so for Mr Malfoy. Our doors will open to you as long as you need us Draco, surely you know that," Dumbledore said softly. Draco nodded slowly.

"It's not just protection that I want though," he said quietly. "I've come to talk to you about…joining you, fighting for the Light, I have no place among the Dark," he said quietly.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and carefully removed his spectacles, folding them and placing them on the desk in front of him. He then rose gracefully from his seat and crossed to look out of the window, his hands folding behind his back. "This is a very serious decision Mr Malfoy, I want you to be sure before you commit yourself to anything," he said solemnly.

"I _am_ sure, I've given it due consideration and I've discussed it with Sever…with Professor Snape. He thinks I'd be doing the right thing. Obviously I can't work as a spy, I've publicly denied Voldemort, but with my extensive knowledge of the Dark Arts and the other Death Eaters, I could be of some help."

"I don't doubt that Draco, but this is a big step and it's likely that a great deal of responsibility will be placed on your shoulders. There are already a number of 7th year students who have assignments and tasks from the Order. It is regrettable that people of such young ages much carry such burdens, but these are the times we live in. You are certain this is what you want?"

"I am, Sir," Draco said determinedly, rather grateful for Harry's steadying hand on his shoulder.

"Very well, we're very pleased to have you," Dumbledore said, returning to his seat once more, smiling kindly at the blond. "And Harry, how are things with you? How is…the situation with Professor Snape?" he asked, glancing surreptitiously at Draco.

"It's alright, Draco knows," said Harry with a smile, removing his hand from the blond's shoulder. "Well things are…a little strange between us now, but we've been spending some time together and I guess we're just…finding out where we stand with each other. It's a lot to get used to and it really spun me out at first, now I just…want to get to know him, he _is_ my father after all," he said with a crooked smile, finally beginning to reconcile that idea in his mind.

"Splendid," said Dumbledore cheerily. "I was worried that you might not be able to see past your previous differences with him, but I see I should have credited you with more maturity."

"Thank you sir. Thank you for your time," he said, getting to his feet, Draco following suit.

"Not at all, this has been a most productive meeting."

**xXxXx**

"Happy Christmas," said three pairs of voices as three glasses of Firewhisky clinked on the stroke of midnight.

Severus, Harry and Draco sat in Severus' quarters, lazily stretched out on the sofa that was positioned in front of the fire whose flames had been charmed red and green in an uncharacteristic show of festivity. The two boys had been sitting with Severus all night and Harry had found himself incredibly comfortable, enjoying the atmosphere and the chance to see the two Slytherins show sides that he never knew existed.

"What are we drinking to then?" asked Draco.

Harry glanced between them, a smile making its way across his lips. "How about new starts?" he suggested, raising his glass.

"Sounds good to me," said Draco, returning the smile.

"Indeed. To new starts then," said Severus, and once again they clinked their glasses together, all starting to feel the effects slightly of the potent liquid they downed in one. "Just don't tell Dumbledore I've had you boys drinking! I'm sure it's against some sort of policy or ethical regulation!" he said rolling his eyes.

"Well, if you think about it, as you're my father you're responsible for me, you can have me drinking as much as you like and Dumbledore can't really do a thing about it!" said Harry with a grin, saluting Severus with his glass.

"Methinks he's had enough," said Draco, smirking at Severus. "We should be getting back now anyway. Come on you, up," he said, rising from the sofa and kicking Harry gently. "I am in no fit state to carry or support you in any way so move yourself now!" he said with a laugh, giving him another nudge. "Merry Christmas Sev, it's been an interesting one!" he said, shaking hands with his almost cheerful-looking Potions Master.

"Merry Christmas Draco, interesting or not, I don't think I can cope with another one like it! Harry, stay a minute," he said to the brunette who was about to make his way out of the Potions dungeon. Draco, seeing that Severus obviously wanted a private moment with his son, told them he would wait outside, then proceeded to do so, leaving the two alone. "Do you want to sit down for a moment?"

"Severus I only just managed to stand, I don't think sitting down again would be the best idea," said Harry with a smirk that was beginning to resemble both Draco's and Severus'.

"Very well," he replied with a rich laugh, a sound Harry had never heard from the man. "I have something that I was…going to give you at New Year's, when I was going to tell you everything, but, well as it's Christmas, I thought now would be a rather appropriate time," he said, and removed something from his robes, placing it in Harry's hand.

On inspection, Harry found that it was a beautifully ornate pendant at the centre of which were two stones; one of onyx, the other of bloodstone. They were positioned in the centre of a delicate and intricately woven piece of silver that was shaped like a Gaelic pendant Harry had once seen. Having been told that the Fianna originated in Ireland, he made the guess that it had something to do with the Circle.

"The onyx represents self-mastery and control and it protects from negative forces. The bloodstone is the hero's stone and instils courage in dangerous situations. It was your mother's; she wanted to give it to you when we told you of the prophecy, it's an emblem of the Circle and a rather powerful tool. I suppose you could also call it a family heirloom of such, you'll probably find Blaise has one much like it," Severus said.

"Thank you, this…this means a lot," said Harry, his mind suddenly not as fuzzy as it had been. "I really appreciate the gesture," he said, having realised that the gift itself wasn't the most important thing; it was the meaning behind it and the representation that carried the most weight.

Severus gave a slightly awkward nod and extended his hand. Harry rolled his eyes and grinned, pulling Severus into strange, somewhat clumsy hug that took the older man entirely by surprise. He uncertainly brought his arms around the teen and actually couldn't stop a small smile from making its way onto his lips as he realised that his son had just willingly embraced him. "No more shaking hands, it's ridiculously formal," said Harry as they broke apart. "Especially for a father and son," he said gently, making them both smile, an expression that Harry was sure he would never see from Severus Snape for as long as he lived. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Harry."

**xXxXx**

Christmas came and went rather uneventfully and before Severus knew it, the New Year's Eve was upon him. He had been dreading it; Voldemort always seemed uncommonly happy and optimistic with the birth of a New Year, and Severus was almost certain that this one was not going to go unmarked.

His holiday so far had actually been surprisingly pleasant for the most part. A large part of it had been spent with Harry and occasionally Draco, and Severus had really enjoyed the time he had spent getting to know his son. He had never truly believed that the boy was arrogant or cocky as he had continually painted him to be in all his insults, but then, he had never really known him either and it was nice to finally be allowed the opportunity to do so.

He was sitting in his office, marking a few of the essays he still had left over, appalled that his own students could produce such dreadful work. His mind was torn between considering the past events of the holiday, and worrying about the ones that might possibly take place that night. He was abruptly shaken from his reverie by a knock at the door, swiftly followed by Ginny Weasley's entrance.

"Miss Weasley, what are you doing here?" he asked, trying to keep the surprise from his voice.

"Well I said I'd be back before term starts and I became bored with the New Year festivities, so I thought I'd just slip away, come and visit you," she said with a small smile, settling herself in the chair opposite his desk.

"I'm honoured," he said with a raised eyebrow and she merely smiled at him, leaning back in the chair. "I hear congratulations are in order."

"On what?"

"Would I not be correct in the understanding that you've been moved up into the 7th Year?" he asked, hoping that she knew already and he had not just put his foot in it.

"Oh that. Thank you, it came as a surprise at first, but I'm sure I'll be able to cope."

"I have no doubt of that," he said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes; there was no way in hell that girl couldn't cope with anything. "So I shall have to endure your presence in my Advanced Potions class next term then?"

"Now don't tell me you're not jumping with joy at the mere thought," she said with a smirk. "I can see it in your eyes – you can't wait," she teased and actually thought she managed to elicit a strange half smirk from him.

"How well you know me," he said in a mock flat voice. "Well I suppose I should be grateful for the fact that I will have at least one student who will be able to even _read_ the material assigned!"

"Professor!" said Ginny, pretending to be highly shocked. "You _are_ aware that that sounded dangerously like a compliment aren't you? If you're not careful you'll start losing your touch," she joked.

"I can safely assure you that will _never _happen," he said half-seriously, though he had to catch himself for a moment as he realised that he was in serious danger of slipping into easy, relaxed and almost friendly conversation with the girl. She laughed and graced him with another bright smile.

"Well, I should…get round to some research I suppose, we'll never find a cure sitting here talking all night," she said, rising from her seat and taking up her usual one in the corner of the room, examining her notes and scribblings. She wasn't entirely sure why she had come; true she _had_ been bored at Grimmauld Place and she'd actually found herself wishing she was back at Hogwarts…back with her Professor.

She was looking forward to returning to the lessons as well, especially now she was going to be a 7th Year. She was surprised when she received the letter from Dumbledore, but she'd also been extremely pleased. She had been going out of her mind with the 6th Year work, it was all so easy and provided her with no challenge whatsoever. She needed that challenge, she needed the stimulation and drive.

She had just settled in to the familiar routine of her research when she heard a sharp hiss from Snape's end of the room. She looked up and saw him clutching his left arm, his face twisted in pain. Their eyes met and she knew exactly what was happening; he was being summoned. She felt a chill sweep through her as the realisation made full impact; what if this time he didn't return?

"Miss Weasley," he said, having recovered himself. "I have some business to attend to, please finish your work here then you may return to Grimmauld Place," he said, heading for the door.

"Yes Professor," she replied quietly as he swept out, the expression on his face unreadable. She raised an eyebrow; she had absolutely no intention of going anywhere. She went to the storeroom and gathered all the ingredients for the Auxilium potion and thanked the Heavens she already had a batch of the Auxiliamata from her practices a few weeks prior. She had a feeling that before the night was out, she would need it.

**xXxXx**

Severus had quickly informed the headmaster that he had been summoned, then walked swiftly to Hogsmeade where he could apparate to Voldemort's side. His insides were twisted in fearful anticipation, though his features, as always, displayed no outward sign of emotion. His apparation took him to one of the many underground dungeons of Malfoy Manor, a setting he was all too familiar with. There were already ten or so Death Eaters present, gathered around a figure in the centre. It had the appearance of a snake whose skin had been slowly and torturously burned off, leaving some twisted parody of the creature it had previously been. And this, Severus thought with disdainful disgust, was the all-powerful Dark Lord. It made his skin crawl.

"Ah, Severus," he rasped, his voice broken and harsh.

"My Lord," said Severus, moving through the circle to kneel as low as physically possible at the Dark Lord's feet.

"Do you know why you have been summoned, Severus?" he asked, his eyes flashing dangerously, malice and cruelty the only things present in them.

"I cannot account for the honour my Lord," he replied, his head still bowed low. He could tell by the tone of voice that whatever the reason, this was not going to be a pleasant visit. He steeled himself, preparing himself for what his body would have to endure, knowing the pain that was to come.

"The potion you supplied me in replace of the Imperius curse was not adequate, the effects last no longer than a few hours. You understand of course, that you must be punished for this failure," came the silky reply, every word dripping in sadistic enjoyment.

"I would ask it of you my Lord. I beg of you to do so in order that I may serve you better," he forced himself to say.

"You might all learn from this," Voldemort told his circle of Death Eaters. "See how true a servant exists in the man before you? Crucio," he said without warning, almost lazily.

It wasn't pain he was unfamiliar with; he knew all too well the white-hot knives that took over his body. But it didn't matter whether it was the first or fifty-first time, the pain was always the most excruciating and unbearable sensation he could ever experience. His body cried out against it, begging for release, and all his thoughts were obliterated from his mind as the agony took control. Luckily for him, Voldemort was not at his full strength and could only maintain the curse for a minute or so before he broke off, leaving Snape broken and drained, lying on the floor gasping for breath.

"Take him and do what you will with him, but make sure he is able to return to the old fool," Voldemort commanded with a wave of his hand. Severus felt himself grabbed roughly and yanked away to another part of the dungeons, the second part of his 'punishment' about to begin. He wasn't sure exactly how many curses were thrown at him or how many blows he received before he finally lost consciousness.

**xXxXx**

Ginny wiped the perspiration from her brow as she finished the Auxilium, spooning it out into a small vial. She had also made a few of her mother's home remedies, of which there were many; after all, with six rambunctious boys running around, one needed to be prepared. Her initial plan had been to simply make the potions and leave them there for him to use on his return, but she found she couldn't leave, at least not without making sure he was alright. He'd been gone hours, anything could have happened to him, she didn't even want to consider the possibilities. She gathered the rest of the ingredients together and put them back in the storeroom, her heart almost stopping when she heard a noise from the classroom. Steeling herself for whatever awaited her, she emerged from the storeroom to find Professor Snape, bruised, bloodied and battered, leaning against the doorframe, barely conscious. "Professor," she breathed, at his side in seconds.

"Don't," he said harshly as she went to help him.

"If you think I'm leaving you like this then you've got another thing coming," she said, steadying her voice; she couldn't let him see that she was both shocked and deeply concerned by his state.

"I told you to leave!" he said as loudly as he could in his broken state. "Just get out, this is none of your business! Go!"

"No," she said firmly and moved in front of him, looking directly up into his eyes, gathering every ounce of courage she possessed. "You helped me, now I'm going to return the favour and if you believe for one minute that you can bully me out of it, you really don't know me very well! Now stop being such a bloody fool and let me help you!" she said fiercely, quite forgetting it was a teacher to whom she was speaking. He seemed to tense, but simply gave her a defeated nod and allowed himself to be led further into the room.

"No, my quarters," he breathed shakily as she was about to set him down at his desk. Having briefly visited them once before she helped him limp off to another door out of sight to all but those who were actually looking for it. Shouldering it open, she helped him through and set him down in one of the armchairs, allowing herself to fully appraise his damaged figure. His robes were soaked in blood, his face was covered in cuts and bruises, all angry looking and painful and the man looked exhausted, barely retaining consciousness.

"Professor," she said softly, kneeling in front him, looking up into the black pits of his eyes. "I need you tell me how severe your injuries are, they didn't use the new curse on you did they?" she asked, praying fervently that the answer was 'no'. He gave a small shake of his head and Ginny allowed herself to breathe a sigh of relief. "What happened, Professor?" she asked gently, her hand searching out his, wrapping her small, delicate fingers around his long ones.

"Cruciatus, beatings, disabling hexes, various torture hexes," he rasped out, his lungs hurting from the strain of breathing.

"Ok, I'll be right back," she said, moving swiftly back to the classroom and retrieving the potions and solutions she had brewed earlier that evening. Had he been in his right frame of mind, he might have commented on the fact that she had these all prepared for his return, as it was, he simply watched as she laid them on the table in front of him, preparing to help him. "Sir," she began tentatively. "I'm going to have to remove some of your clothing, I need to see the extent of your wounds and treat them," she informed him. He merely nodded, the effort of speech too much in his state. He felt gentle, small hands carefully loosen the robes and slip them off, discarding them on the floor. Next came his shirt and she bit back a gasp as she saw what lay beneath his clothing. His chest was littered with gashes, some cruelly deep and his stomach was covered in angry, deep bruising. "Oh Professor," she breathed, hardly able to believe what was in front of her own eyes. How could anyone do this to another human being? Least of all someone who you were supposed to be in league with. She would never understand people, not for as long as she lived.

Knowing how he would despise her pity, she carefully schooled her features into concerned professionalism and fetched the solution she had made earlier that was one of her mother's famous concoctions. "May I?" she asked and he nodded his permission. Again she kneeled in front of him and dipped a cloth into the mixture. She brought it to his face and gently began to wipe away the blood and dirt that were smeared across his features, tenderly bathing the cuts to rid them of any infection and to soothe the pain away. When his face was cleared, she handed him the vial of the Auxilium potion and the Auxiliamata. "Here," she said. "I had a feeling you might be needing this, drink it," she instructed and he did so without argument, handing the empty vials back to her and trying not to retch at the disgusting taste they both left behind.

"Those cuts are deep and the Auxilium will take some time to work, I'm going to try something else that should help," she said and he watched as she raised her wand to her left hand and muttered "curatio recipero" as she did so. She moved closer to him so that she could feel his breath on her cheek, she could feel the heat radiating off him. Slowly and carefully she raised the wand to a deep cut across the left side of his chest, murmuring the same words, she pointed the wand at it and then brushed across it with her fingertips. Instantly the pain notably lessened and he began to feel some of the life return to his battered body. She felt his breath, sharp and ragged, and was aware that her own was becoming deeper as she continued with the healing process, her hands moving over his bare, wounded skin, the contact so intimate it could be mistaken for a lover's caress, were it not for the circumstances.

With every touch of her hand he could feel he was coming back to himself, the feeling returning to his body and his mind clearing of the pain, all the time his eyes on her, watching the look on her face as she touched him, restored him. Her face was so soft, full of concern and careful concentration, all mixed together with something that he couldn't quite read. As she leant in to his collarbone, he realised just how close she was to him, and he was finally able to really appreciate the fact that her hands were on his body, bare skin on bare skin. Part of him screamed that there was no way in Hell (or out of it for that matter) that this should be happening; she was his student, 16 years of age, touching him in this…intimate way. Even though she was only healing him, it felt like something very different, especially as much of the pain had now subsided. And yet, he couldn't bring himself to tell her to stop, he couldn't lose the feel of her hands, soothing him, enlivening him. He couldn't stop himself from letting a small shiver make its way down his spine when her hands found his neck, warmly brushing the cruel marks left behind from the night's events. She withdrew slightly and their met eyes for the first time that night and he was greatly relieved to see there was no pity in hers, what _was_ there however, was something unreadable, something confused.

"I…I've done what I can," she said quietly, aware that she was still incredibly close to him and that he had an odd look in his eyes. "I'm no medi-witch, but you should be ok now. Can you walk?"

He nodded and she helped him up, moving steadily through into his bedchambers. She eased him down onto the bed then stood in front of him, pleased to see that he now looked as he were not at Death's door, or even in the neighbourhood, though he still looked shattered, exhausted. Without invitation she sat down next to him and clasped her hands in her lap, searching for the right words, but finding none.

"Why don't you ask me, Miss Weasley," he said, his voice still harsh and broken, the first he had spoken since telling her to leave.

"Ask you what?" she asked softly.

"The question that's burning through your mind at this very moment," he replied, turning to look at her, his black eyes, though weary, still as sharp and piercing as ever.

She let a small laugh escape her parted lips; damn but he could read people well. "How can you do it Professor? Where do you find the strength?" she asked, her voice so light it was almost a whisper, as if she was asking in some great wonder, bewildered by the concept of what she had seen before her. But there was something more in her tone that made him deepen the gaze he was holding with her; respect. There was the utmost respect and admiration in her voice, and for some reason, for the first time in such an Age, he actually felt pride in himself rather than the bitter self-loathing that seemed to have taken up permanent residence in his soul.

"I…do what I must," he replied, hardly able to gather his thoughts together to form a coherent sentence. How could he let a simple question, albeit with that tone of voice, throw him so? "We all must in these times."

"But you risk more than anyone, and on a regular basis too. You put your life on the line time after time and yet you still manage to carry on. I don't know many people that could claim that. And you can't even claim recognition for it, you have to make people believe you're evil, a great servant to world's most horrible psychopath. You can't let people see what a truly good person you are. How in Merlin's name do you manage it?"

"I think you're giving me a little too much credit, Miss Weasley," he said, a little uncomfortable at her heroic portrayal of him. He was so far removed from the role of 'hero' it wasn't even funny.

"I don't," she replied faintly, her eyes moving over his scared body, the marks of nights long since when he had endured the same, if not worse, treatment, reminders of what he was. Her eyes continued until they reached his left arm and they saw the abomination that had been burned into his flesh, angry and black, a grotesque symbol of his servitude and loyalty. When he noticed her looking, she averted her eyes, mumbling a whispered "Sorry"; she knew he would hate her to see it. "Are the potions beginning to take effect?" she asked.

"Yes, you made them well," he replied.

"Obviously not well enough. You're nowhere near your old self or you wouldn't have given a compliment so freely!" she teased, pleased to see that she evoked at least a ghost of his familiar smirk.

"Wait until tomorrow and we'll see how many compliments I give," he said, his voice still gritty and harsh.

A silence fell between them as both wordlessly contemplated the other, evaluating the events of the night. The earlier fear Ginny had felt upon first seeing her Professor had subsided somewhat, but she still held the feelings of disgust that anyone could do this to another human being. She wasn't an idiot, she knew how the world worked. She knew of the dark deeds and dark thoughts that took place in shadowed corners, but she would never understand it. She would never understand how people could be consumed by such evil, to the point where they even began to lose their very identities, any sense of who they were. She glanced across at him again, thankful she had been able to help. She hated to think of him alone after such a night, having to heal himself in the cold, isolated dungeon. She knew he would have probably wished it so, rather than having her see him weak and in such a condition, but her conscience would not have rested easy if she had left when he had told her to.

He now found himself somewhat glad that she had not done so, as she had healed him far more effectively than his rushed and unsatisfactory methods would have done. Still, it had not been ideal; he never wished for anyone to see him in such a state. He always avoided the Hospital Wing for that very reason. It didn't matter that his wounds would often re-open and he would be in pain for sometimes a week after; at least he still had his pride. But he found he couldn't be angry with her for what she had done. Although she had seen him in the worst state he could have possibly been in, she had actually helped. He had been surprised, to say the least, when he had returned to the dungeons to find she had waited for him. She had even prepared the healing potions, knowing where he had been and what could possibly happen. He had been even more surprised, though he supposed, knowing what he did of this young woman, he shouldn't have been, when she had flatly refused to leave, fixing him with a glare that could rival his own. And then she had healed him. He could still remember the feel of her small hands on his battered and injured body, though he was trying to push the memory away, he couldn't think like that, it was far too dangerous.

"I should probably be getting back," she said, her voice interrupting his thoughts. "Will you be alright?"

"I'm sure I'll manage," he replied, as she stood.

"Oh, I…um, took the liberty…" she said, nodding to a vial at his bedside. "Dreamless Sleep potion, just in case," she said a little awkwardly.

"You have been busy tonight, Miss Weasley," he said with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah well, I had some time to kill," she said with a smile. "Goodnight Professor," she said, and before she realised what she was doing, she gave him a small kiss on the cheek and swiftly left, her robes billowing in a very Snape-like fashion.

"Goodnight Miss Weasley," he said a little while after, his hand unconsciously going to the spot on his cheek that was now practically burning.


	13. Steadfast as thou art

**AN:** Bonjour one and all! And how are we this fine day? Lol, I'm in an oddly chipper mood today for some reason, maybe it's just that the weekend is here and I can have some fun! Well, big thanks to the one, the only **XxRoGuExHeArTxX** my wonderful, amazing, talented BETA – you're an angel, love and hugs to you sweetie.

**Review Responses:**

**Whatshername1:** Lol, yes I am definitely happy! Just as long as you keep reviewing!

**OneWhoSitsWithTheTurtles:** Yey! Another recruit! I'm planning on world domination next! ;-) Hee hee, hopefully you'll like this chapter! Lol, I've moved on from Christmas so no more presents! No, Harry and Draco didn't get each other anything as they didn't know they'd be spending the holidays together. I'm sure the thought was there though!

**Abi2:** Aw thank you! I hope you love this chapter too!

**IrishEnchantress:** Lol, I love cookies, thanks very much! Maybe I'll get two for this one hey?

**Yali:** Hee hee, questions are always welcome! They'll all just have to be stealthy I suppose, it all adds to the fun! Keep reading!

**brionyjae:** Wow, I rock? Cool, I can live with that! Yeah you've got to feel sorry for Snape, well things might look up for him!

**Shadow315:** Yey! I've recruited another one! I will have everyone thinking Ginny/Snape is the best way to go! Hope you keep reading!

**Nerfi-Tiri:** Hello stranger! Glad to have you back! Lol, Harry and Draco are wicked, gotta love slash! And yea, your English is great, better than some English people I know! Hope you like!

On with the show…….

**xXxXx**

"Severus? Severus!" came Harry's voice as he walked swiftly through the Potions dungeons and into Severus' quarters, glancing about for a sign of his father. He came to the door leading to Severus' room and paused for a second to knock, then let himself in, biting back a gasp when he saw his father's bruised state. "I just saw Ginny, she told me what happened, are you alright? " he asked, moving over to the couch and kneeling in front of Severus, appraising the man's appearance warily.

"Harry for goodness sake calm down!" said Severus, slightly surprised but also a little pleased that boy was so frantic about what might have happened to him.

"Calm down? I don't think so! Look at you! And Ginny says that this is nothing compared to the state you came back in!"

"That young woman needs to learn to keep her nose out of other people's business!" Severus growled, trying to avoid his son's fierce gaze; he was far more comfortable making others avoid his own.

"Well I'm glad she didn't, think what might have happened if she hadn't have been here! Severus look at yourself, you look like Draco did when he showed up at my door! Are you sure you're ok?" Harry asked earnestly.

"I'm fine, Miss Weasley is something of a skilled Healer," he said wryly as Harry took a seat beside him on the sofa. "How did you run into her anyway? It's one in the morning, what were you even doing up?" he asked, his voice taking on something of a parental tone.

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his already messy hair. "I…had a nightmare. Well I suppose it was more of a vision actually. I…I saw what he did to you. I woke up, my scar was hurting and I knew that hadn't just been a dream. I came looking for you and I ran into Ginny, she told me what had happened and I came down here. I was worried," he finished quietly.

"You were?" Severus asked raising his eyes to meet Harry's.

"Of course," he replied with a small smile, relief beginning to overtake anxiety. "I didn't know what had happened to you, having to endure torture from a displeased, psychotic megalomaniac rarely ends well," he said, and Severus smirked. "Are you sure you're ok?" Harry asked seriously.

"Harry, I'm fine, really," Severus insisted. "I'll be a little sore for a while, but it's nothing life-threatening. Not this time anyway."

"Don't even joke about it, Severus," said Harry, looking rather pained. "I've only just gained a father. I'd hate to lose him so quickly," he said softly, averting his gaze from the man sitting opposite.

He felt a strong arm go round his shoulders and he was pulled gently to his father's side. "You're not going to," Severus said softly. "I've been doing this a long time, I know what I'm doing. I don't plan on getting caught any time soon."

"It's still dangerous. Look at what happened tonight, all because you failed with some potion! If he can do _this _to you," he said, indicating Severus' bruises. "Over something like a potion, what would he do if he found out you were a traitor? It doesn't even bear thinking about."

"Don't worry so much," Severus said, tightening his hold on the teen, incredibly touched that Harry was so concerned for him. "This is what I must do. You needn't fret so, though. I'm very capable; it will not be easy for him to find a reason to doubt me. We're living in dangerous times, Harry. We all have our parts to play, some more perilous than others. We do what we must, though. Surely you of all people understand that," he said gently.

"I understand it perfectly; it doesn't mean I have to like it though. Don't you understand? I've lost so many people because of that maniac, and I know I'm going to lose many more in the future. I've only just found you, I've only just been granted a second chance to have a father, to have that family that I've always wanted. I couldn't bear it if that was taken from me. I can't lose another person that I care about," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't think I'd come through it." And all the tears that he'd withheld since finding out the truth suddenly overwhelmed him and began to trail down his cheeks, harsh sobs racking his body.

Severus, slightly uncomfortable with the unfamiliar act of comforting someone, pulled Harry closer to him and he felt the teen's arms go tentatively round his waist, seeking comfort and consolation. Although the situation was a serious, almost sad one, Severus couldn't help but feel happiness at the fact that Harry had just admitted that he didn't want to lose him, and that he actually felt enough of a bond with him to allow Severus to hold him, to comfort him…to be his father. It was something that Severus had hardly allowed himself to hope for. "Ssh," he said softly, long fingers soothingly stroking the head rested against his chest. "I told you; I'm not going anywhere," he whispered. "You're not going to lose me I promise you that. I've waited almost eighteen years to have you back in my life, do you really think I'd be stupid enough to jeopardise that by making foolish mistakes when dealing with Voldemort? I know what I'm doing, trust me, everything's going to ok. _I'll_ be ok," he assured the still sobbing boy. Severus gave a soft laugh and said, "If anyone had told me a month ago that I'd be sitting here now, trying to reassure a worried Harry Potter of my safety, I would have had them carted of to St Mungo's." He was somewhat relieved when he felt Harry emit a small laugh also.

"Yeah well, a month ago I thought you were my cruel, cold Potions Master who hated the very ground I walked on," Harry replied, his voice a little hoarse, still keeping a tight hold of his father. "Things change."

"Indeed they do," Severus agreed quietly, his mind taking him into his own reflections. When he finally shook himself out of his private reverie, he found that Harry had fallen asleep on him, though he was still holding steadfastly on, as if afraid that the man would disappear if he didn't. Severus didn't have the heart to wake him, coupled with the fact that he didn't mind in the slightest that his son wanted to be in such close proximity to him. He stroked the raven-coloured hair again and allowed himself a small smile. It had been so long since he had really felt like a father, and he was in very serious danger of letting the old emotion overwhelm him.

**xXxXx**

Harry awoke to a feeling of comforting warmth. His head was slightly groggy, but something somewhere in the back of his mind was telling him that he was safe, protected. He leant in closer to the warmth, wanting to hold on to the almost childlike feeling of contentment and security that he had so rarely experienced in his life. As his senses began to sharpen, he became aware that he was leaning against a strong chest that was steadily moving up and down with each breath. He moved his head to the side slightly and realised, with a tinge of embarrassment, that he had fallen asleep on Severus.

He had been so worried upon waking from his horrible vision, and then when he had run into Ginny and seen her perplexed and oddly preoccupied expression, he had begun to worry even more. He had already figured out that Ginny knew of his relationship with the Potions Master, though he had no idea how. He would have to have a conversation with her when she returned to school. But seeing the man covered in bruises and looking thoroughly exhausted had made Harry see that he no longer held the man in the same regard he had once done. He had felt real concern for him and hadn't been able to stop the relief from flooding him when he found that he was going to be alright. He had meant what he said; he was not prepared to lose another father, not after almost eighteen years of having to live without one.

"Harry, as much as I like the idea of father-son bonding, you've given me a dead arm," came a rather amused voice above Harry's head.

"Sorry," he said with a laugh, shifting himself into a sitting position a little way across from the man. "I didn't mean to fall asleep; I…guess the past week or so just caught up with me, I think that was the first time that I've really let it all sink in. It…kind of overwhelmed me a little," he said with a small shrug.

"It's perfectly understandable, you don't have to explain anything," Severus said softly.

Harry nodded then asked, "What time is it?"

"A little after five," Severus replied.

"Ugh, far too early to be awake! I'm going to get back to the Tower, get a bit more sleep. Are you ok now?" he asked concernedly.

"I'm fine, I've taken worse," he replied with a wry smile. "Go on, you go, I'll be alright; a couple more potions and a day's rest and I'll be back on form."

"Well I suppose that's just a side effect we'll have to bear," said Harry with a grin.

Severus raised an eyebrow and said in tones of mock seriousness, "You and I need to have a discussion about your lack of respect, young man."

Harry could only grin wider at this parody of fatherly admonishment, and some remote part of his brain told him that this was the way things should have been, this was the life he should have had. He was still a little awkward with the whole situation, and his mind still needed to adjust to the massive changes that had taken place in his life, but he knew he wanted the chance to experience what was rightfully his.

"I'll see you later," he said, rising from the sofa. "Get some rest; don't go undoing all the good work Ginny did," he warned.

"Excuse me, but which one of us is the parent here?" Severus asked, wishing the boy was just little bit shorter so he could glare down at him, instead of almost having to tilt his head slightly. When did he gain such height?

"Well considering the state you're in at the moment, I'd say it's going to have to be me. So go on, bed. And if I come down later and find you up and working, there'll be serious trouble!"

"Oh get back to Gryffindor you old woman. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you very much," said Severus, moving off to his bedroom, adopting an air of annoyance. Truthfully, he couldn't have been more pleased about Harry's concern for him.

**xXxXx**

Harry expected to return to his room to find Draco fast asleep, dead to the world as he normally slept. Instead, the blond was sitting on the windowsill, hair dishevelled, eyes bleary but focused on something in his hand. Moving closer, Harry saw that it was the letter of disownment from his father. Not entirely sure whether or not Draco would want comfort or even company, Harry cleared his throat quietly, offering a small smile when Draco looked up.

"Everything alright?" Harry asked softly, leaning against the bedpost.

"Just thinking," Draco replied in almost a whisper. He looked back down at the letter, his jaw tensing slightly, then he crumpled it in his fist and threw it fiercely into the bin. "Bastard," he spat, his eyes still fixed on the scrunched up parchment.

"He's not worth your energy," Harry said gently, going over to sit next to him on the sill, resisting the instinct to reach out and touch him; something told him that Draco wouldn't welcome physical contact at that moment.

"I just…" Draco began, frustration, anger and hurt etched into his aristocratic features. "Everything I ever did…it was always to impress him, all of it was for his benefit. Merlin, what a waste. How pitiful; a pathetic little boy scraping round, doing everything to get his father to even notice him, to give even the tiniest sign of approval. I completely lost sight of who I was I was so busy trying to become him. Nothing was ever good enough; his standards set an ideal that no human could possibly live up to. I wasn't a son, just an heir, a clone…a name…" he finished quietly, a little surprised that he had let himself say all he had.

"But you don't have to be, not anymore," Harry insisted. "There's a whole new world open to you now, there's nothing you can't do. You're not in his shadow anymore, Draco, you're your own person, you don't have anything to live up to anymore."

"But I still _feel_ like I do. It feels like I'll never be able to get away from him, like I'll never be able to make a decision or form an opinion without his voice being in the back of my mind, his presence hovering over me," Draco said, his voice tinged with bitterness.

"It's going to take time, but one day you'll find that it starts to get a little bit better, you'll realise that he has no control over you anymore."

"You make it sound so easy," Draco replied softly, turning to face the dark-haired boy, his eyes starting to brim with tears that Harry knew Draco would never allow to fall.

"Of course it isn't easy, but one day it won't be so difficult, that's all. Draco, he's had such power over you for seventeen years, that isn't all just going to go away overnight. It'll take time, but it _will_ happen. I promise you that."

Draco gave a silent nod and Harry hoped the blond believed his words. Sensing that he'd calmed down sufficiently, Harry placed a cautious hand on his shoulder and when he didn't resist, pulled him close to his chest. He allowed himself a small smile when he felt the blond press himself up against him, resting his head on his shoulder. He knew this was going to be difficult for Draco, but he intended to be there to help him. Merlin, he wished that school wasn't about to start again, things were going to get so complicated.

**xXxXx**

Of course, term _did_ start again, far too quickly for Harry's liking, and he found himself incredibly reluctant to lose his newly acquired roommate. The bed now seemed ridiculously huge and empty without Draco's warm and entirely inviting body to press himself up against. Both boys had decided that they would keep…whatever it was between them a total secret, at least until people found out and adjusted to the idea of Draco switching sides.

They knew _that_ one would be impossible to hide; most of Draco's classmates' fathers had been present at Draco's failed initiation ceremony; they would all know about his new allegiances and about his shameful disownment. Truth be told, the blond was dreading the thought of returning to the dungeons and all his fellow housemates. He was going to have to be stronger than ever and he knew that the coming weeks were the hardest he would ever have to face. He was only thankful that Harry would be there keeping him marginally sane, although the comfort was only half complete as things had to be so cloak and dagger between them.

The students streamed back in and Gryffindor was flooded again, a stark contrast to the conditions Harry had been used to over the holidays. It was nice to be able to see all his friends again and he even enjoyed the small celebration that was thrown in honour of Ginny's move to 7th year, but he missed just being able to be in Draco's company, to feel his hands and lips, to breathe in his scent…wow, he really needed to get his mind on other things.

He couldn't help but think about Draco though, he was actually rather worried about the boy's return to Slytherin, Merlin only knew what might happen to him. Harry's only comfort was that Blaise was there to keep a lookout for him, which reminded him, he really did need to have a word or two with his cousin. Cousin; now there was a weird thought. Usually the word only conjured images of a fat, spoilt pig-like creature, not a stylish, suave Slytherin. There were _so_ many things he was going to have to get used to.

"Penny for 'em," said Ginny with a smile as she sat down beside him.

"Hm? Oh I was just thinking about…well, everything," Harry replied with a soft laugh. "Severus told me that you know," he said, lowering his voice slightly as a group of his fellow Gryffindors passed by them. "He was a little less than pleased when you guessed, as I'm sure you can imagine. Mind you, he doesn't seem to know how to dissuade you from anything. What the hell do you do to him?" he asked, grinning.

Through her years of practice, Ginny fought the cursed Weasley blush, her mind taking her back to New Year's Eve and all that had happened. "Oh you know, I just don't give him the chance to insult, frighten or hex me! Besides, I don't believe for a moment that all there is to the man is what he allows us to see, his position dictates his disposition, I'm sure. I refuse to be frightened of him, I respect him too much," she said with a wry smile which Harry returned. "I just hope you get to see that. Listen you're not angry with me are you? For not telling you about it I mean. It's just that, well I know that Keepers aren't allowed to tell their children until the 18th year, plus it wasn't really my place to tell you and…well, you _do _understand don't you?" she asked, hoping that he would.

"Of course I do, I'm not angry with you. It can't be helped that you're just an interfering little madam with more knowledge than is good for her!" he said with a smirk.

"Dear Merlin Harry, you're beginning to sound exactly like him. You've obviously been spending far too much time with him, it's having an effect on you!" she teased.

"I seem to recall saying something similar to you not so long ago," he returned. "Maybe the man just has a strange effect on people."

"Yeah maybe," Ginny said with something of a forced laugh. Harry didn't know how right he was. She'd been trying to forget about New Year's Eve ever since it happened, but to absolutely no avail. She knew that she regarded him in a different capacity to the other students, but what her mind was presenting her with was something else entirely. She didn't know what to do with the thoughts that wouldn't stop invading her mind. She remembered dancing with him at Parkinson's Yule Ball, how he kept slipping his arm round her waist and pulling her tightly to him. It was driving her slowly insane. Fred and George had commented that the days after New Year's had been the quietest they'd ever seen their little sister, and they were right, she'd said barely a word, merely contemplating what had happened between herself and the Potions Master. She shook herself slightly and realised that Harry had been speaking to her.

"…going to try to get to know him a bit. I mean I spent quite a bit of time with him over the holidays. It was…I don't know, surreal is the best way to describe it I suppose."

"At least you're building some kind of bridge. It's a start isn't it?" she asked, grounding herself firmly in the Gryffindor common room with Harry, not in Snape's quarters with her fingers all over his body. Merlin she needed to get a grip.

"Yeah, yeah it is. Thanks for listening, Gin, I'm going to go get some sleep or I'll never stay awake tomorrow. Well done again for getting moved up. Sometimes I think you're too clever for your own good," he said, standing and placing a kiss on her forehead.

"You and me both," she muttered as she watched him ascend the stairs. "You and me both."

**xXxXx**

Draco sat on the long leather sofa in the Slytherin common room, staring morosely into the fire. He was all too aware of the glares that held daggers focused fiercely on him, but he was doing his best to ignore them. This, however, was not an easy task. It was incredibly difficult to ignore the hostility radiating off nearly each and every one of them, and though he wasn't a coward, he was beginning to feel slightly apprehensive about what might happen, especially as he wasn't exactly at the peak of physical health after his earlier beating. He lifted his chin and straightened his shoulders; he'd be damned if he was going to sit huddled in the corner like a frightened child. He'd made his decision, and he would apologise to no one for that.

Deciding that he'd had enough of the Serpent's Den for one night, he rose gracefully from the sofa, ignoring the painful twinge in his abdomen. Taking a deep breath, he made a beeline for the staircase, hoping to pass without incident. He should have learnt by now, Hope was the worst kind of Fool's Paradise.

"Malfoy," came Nott's deep voice, in amongst a crowd of about fifteen, all of whom Draco knew to be initiated Death Eaters, their fathers steeped in almost as deeply as his own.

"Nott," Draco replied far more calmly than he truly felt. "Something I can do for you?"

"Traitor," Nott spat. "Scum, you don't deserve to still be alive, they should have finished you off when they had the chance. I never had you down as a Dumbledore sympathiser. Like the mudbloods do you?" he sneered.

"Not half as much as I detest you," Draco said, returning the expression. "Now, if you'll kindly step aside, I've had just about as much company as I can stomach," he said, going to move up the stairs, but an arm was thrown in his way. "Move," Draco growled, summoning every ounce of courage that existed within him.

"Make me," Nott snarled. "What are you going to do Malfoy? Take us all on your own?"

"He's not on his own," came a cool, crisp voice from behind Draco and the blond had never been so happy to see Blaise as he sauntered up to them and planted himself firmly behind Draco, his expression clearly showing that there was no room for argument.

"What do you think you can do about it Zabini?" Nott asked, though Draco noticed his sneer and confidence had faltered slightly.

"What do _you_ think I can do?" Blaise asked, his dark eyes threatening. "Do you really want to find out? Do you really want to take two of the most powerful wizards in this whole house?" he asked, his voice low and smooth.

"He wasn't so powerful when he was being beaten within an inch of his life, was he?"

"You fool," Blaise practically hissed. "He repelled Voldemort! He repelled his Mark. Don't you see? Don't you realise how powerful that makes him? Now, do you really want to do this?"

Deciding he couldn't let Blaise fight the whole battle for him, Draco stepped forward and said in a steady voice, "I've made my decision, I will not serve some jumped up half-blood with deluded dreams of world domination and twisted ideas about blood purity. I'm not going to kiss his robes and crawl at his feet, no one controls me but me and I'm sorry if you're all so pathetic not to want that for yourselves. You carry on living your lives in servitude, do as he tells you, let him torture and abuse you and carry on begging for more, but leave me the hell out of it. I'm my own man, no one will ever control me again. Now get the hell out of my way," he finished with a growl and a glare so fierce that Nott actually did step backwards, stumbling slightly.

"This isn't over, Malfoy," Nott shouted after him as he and Blaise disappeared up the staircase and down the corridor that led to their rooms.

"Thank Merlin for that," sighed Draco, leaning against his door, running a hand through his hair. "Bloody bastards," he said vehemently, his anger finally taking precedence over his fear and apprehension. "Not that I was expecting any less I suppose. Listen, thanks for what you did back there, you didn't have to," said Draco, slightly uncomfortable with the almost alien feeling of gratitude.

"Don't worry about it, allies have to stick together right?" Blaise said with a small smile.

"Yeah, right," said Draco with a laugh. "Well, nevertheless I appreciate it, I have a feeling I'm going to need all the 'allies' I can get. Let's just hope I made the right decision, hey?"

"You did, Draco, I don't doubt that for a second. But you'll have to be prepared for what's to come, the road ahead isn't easy by any means. But don't worry, you're not going to have to do it alone. There are still a few good people in Slytherin who don't want to be slaves either, no to mention the other houses," said Blaise, flicking a lock of dark hair out of his eyes.

"What, you think the Golden Gryffindors are going to welcome me with open arms?" Draco asked derisively.

"One of them might," Blaise said, and Draco worried slightly about the strange look in the boy's eyes. "Which reminds me, I need to have a word, must do that tomorrow," he said, turning to go into his room.

"Blaise," said Draco, unable to resist saying something. "I…I know about Har…Potter, I know that you're cousins," he said a little hesitantly. "Don't ask me how I know, let's just say that a lot happened over the holidays," he said, mentally rolling his eyes; that had to be the understatement of the century.

"Oh, must have been a bit of a shock for you, learning that your mortal enemy was the son of your favourite professor," Blaise smirked.

"Yeah, something like that," Draco replied, trying not to grin at the 'mortal enemy'. "Anyway, I think it might be an idea to talk to him, I mean, I know Severus would appreciate it," he said, hoping Blaise would read no more into it, he knew that Harry was anxious to speak with his cousin.

"I'll track him down tomorrow then. Who else knows?" he asked.

"Just me. Oh, and the Weasley girl – don't ask," he said at the look Blaise gave him. "Apparently she's a rather clever young lady, but I've been assured that she can keep a secret."

"For as long as it will _be_ a secret. These things always seem to have a way of becoming public knowledge. Nothing stays hidden for very long round here," he said with a knowing smile. "Night."

"Night," Draco replied, hoping that Blaise was wrong, and that some things _could_ stay hidden, for a little while at least.

**xXxXx**

Harry was sure he couldn't take much more; one more minute might well push him over the edge. He was sat in the Great Hall at the Gryffindor table, watching the door with an unfaltering gaze. He was incredibly anxious about the state in which Draco might show up; who knew what had happened in the Slytherin common room the previous night? Merlin but he'd missed the blond in his bed last night; he'd missed the feeling of having his warm body pressed to his own, he missed the strong chest and the soapy scent, he missed those lips, those hands, everything. Yes, he was sure he was going insane.

He could have jumped the blond when he walked through the large oak doors, but he restrained himself, trying to pull the grin off his face. He was relieved to see that he looked unscathed, apart from the old bruising that he'd acquired at the hands of his father and the others. He was perhaps a little pale, well, paler than usual, but there was a strong, determined look in his eye that reassured Harry somewhat. He felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips as Draco's piercing gaze met his own, offering him the usual smirk, but it sent off a very different reaction in him to the one it once had. A _very_ different reaction.

It was so frustrating being all the way across the room from him, to not be able to touch him, to feel him right there next to him. It was strange, but if it was possible, Harry thought that his desire, his _need_ for the other boy had increased more since the holidays had ended. Maybe it was the whole thing of not being able to have him, it only made the wanting more potent. He noticed that Draco had seated himself away from the other members of his house and was sitting down the end of the table next to Blaise. Harry raised an eyebrow; he still needed to talk to the boy, though what he was supposed to say was something of a problem. What was he supposed to do, walk up to him and say "so, we're related, go figure,"? Somehow he couldn't see that going down too well. Well he'd just have to hope that the words came to him when they were needed, or else he'd look like a royal prat. He finished his breakfast and bade his friends goodbye, telling them he'd see them in class, then made for the doors, stopping to throw one last look over his shoulder at the blond. Draco smirked once again and gave the subtlest of winks. Harry merely rolled his eyes in return, both of them knowing that he didn't mean it.

He departed the Great Hall with only one person on his mind and made it as far as the Gryffindor staircase before a voice behind him called, "Potter, can I have a word?"

Harry turned around and saw that Blaise was standing behind him, looking perfectly civil and even rather affable. "Um, yeah of course," he said, actually rather relieved that Blaise had been the one to raise the issue, as it saved him the task of trying to find the right words. Blaise gestured to an empty room to the side of them and they wandered in, both leaning against a couple of abandoned desks.

"I'm sure you already know what I want to talk to you about," Blaise started and Harry gave a slow nod. "Well, to be honest, there's not a whole lot I can really say, I mean I'm sure Uncle Severus has told you pretty much everything you need to know. I suppose I just wanted to have at least one proper conversation with you, now that you know we're kin," Blaise said in his soft, rich tones and Harry couldn't help but notice that the boy had some of his own mannerisms; it was actually a little unnerving.

"I was going to say the same thing to you, only you got there first I suppose," Harry replied a little awkwardly. This was the first time he'd had a proper conversation with him, the first time he'd spent more than two seconds together with him and it was a little peculiar to say the least. "This is still rather odd for me, I mean, you've known your whole life, known the whole time that we've been at Hogwarts that we're…cousins. I just found out a couple of weeks ago. I'm still trying to get my head around the whole thing," he explained.

"I understand. It can't have been easy for you," he said and Harry gave him a look that plainly said 'you want to have tried it!'. "I never knew my aunt, but my mother and Uncle Severus tell me that she was truly a wonderful person, I really am so sorry that you never had the chance to know her."

Harry was actually rather touched by Blaise's words and he appreciated the gesture behind them. "Thanks," he said, trying not to sound too choked. "So do I. At least I can begin to get to know Severus now all the lying and pretending can stop. Merlin knows there's been enough of it."

"I'll say. Well, I suppose I'll see you around then, 'cus'!" Blaise said with a grin, sliding out of the classroom. Harry merely shook his head; if he tried to think any more about the situation, he was sure his brain would explode.

**xXxXx**

Ginny stood outside the Potions room, staring at the heavy oak door, preparing to enter. She felt so ridiculous just standing there, but she was completely of unsure of what she was going to say to the man, things between them had been left awkwardly to say the least. Shaking herself and inwardly berating herself for her childishness, she gave a brisk knock on the door then swept in, finding him sitting behind his desk, scowling at the pile of papers next to him. He looked up upon her arrival and for the briefest of moments she saw a strange look pass over his face, but it was gone before she could even try to decipher it.

"Good evening," she said levelly, giving herself sarcastic praise for having managed at least that.

"Miss Weasley," he said with a slight nod. "Early as usual I see."

"Would anyone dare be late when seeing you, sir?" she asked in amusement and thought that he might have allowed himself a small smirk at the comment.

"I've compiled a study of our work so far, it might interest you to read through it, to see the progress we've made," he said, indicating a large stack of parchments to his left. She had to work very hard to keep the smile from her lips at the use of 'our work' and 'the progress _we've_ made', it made her feel as though he had accepted her as his equal, something she was very keen for him do to.

"Actually," she began, taking a seat in front of him. "I was…wondering if maybe, you could…well, help me with the nightmares again, like you did last time," she said, hating the vulnerable, childlike feeling that took her over.

"Are they troubling you again?" he asked softly.

"Not as much as they used to, after last time they went almost totally. It's just now and then they…_he_ comes back, and I just want to be rid of him for good, I'm sure you understand that more than most," she finished quietly, raising her eyes to meet his, a little surprised at the amount of understanding she found in them.

He gave a small nod, stopping his eyes from going to his arm where he had been branded, never to be rid of the monster. "My quarters?" he asked and she nodded, telling her mind most severely to pick itself up out of the gutter. She followed him through into the familiar rooms, involuntarily remembering the last time at New Year's. Merlin but she _really_ needed to stop thinking about that. "If you'd just lie down, we can begin." Again she picked her mind up out of the gutter and complied. He knelt beside her and paused slightly before placing a hand over her forehead and then another, very tentatively over her heart. She averted her eyes, telling herself to stop being so silly and to bloody well get her breathing under control; it was a perfectly innocent touch. But that was just the thing; she wasn't sure she wanted it to be.

The room span slightly as he began to speak and she felt herself slowly start to slip away, forgetting where she was and whom she was with. Her eyes closed of their own accord and all she could see was mist, an endless stream of white. She was barely aware of anything and her senses were hardly working. Suddenly the haze cleared and she realised with a snap that she was back in the Chamber once more. He was waiting, as usual, but he didn't have the self-assured and arrogant air he normally possessed. She was surprised at how calm she felt in his presence, nowhere near as threatened as she once had been. Her earlier fear seemed somehow irrational now.

"Tom," she said, as though addressing one of her peers.

"What do you think you're doing Ginny?" he hissed. "You don't really believe that you're strong enough to be rid of me do you?" he asked with a sneer.

"Actually I do," she replied casually. "I've carried you around with me for far too long, it's time it stopped, and I'm not prepared to wait until you're defeated and you _will_ be defeated," she said firmly.

"Don't be a fool, Ginny," he said harshly, approaching her. She stayed rooted to the spot and maintained steady eye contact with him, showing him she was no longer afraid. "You're fighting a losing battle, I will destroy you and all those you fight with," he said, though his voice lacked the confidence it once had.

"You think that if it gives you comfort, Tom," she said, as though humouring a small child. "But I prefer to live in the real world," and she turned away from him and began to walk.

"Come back," he snarled, but she didn't even turn her head. The only way she knew she would get rid of him would be to show him how insignificant he was, how he no longer had any control over her life. She carried on walking, drowning out his voice and the threats he was throwing at her; she was through with listening to him, she'd been doing it far too long. She heard one last yell then realised she was being pulled back to her body.

Her eyes shot open and the first thing she saw was Snape, kneeling beside her, a questioning look on his face. She gave him a smile and pushed herself so she knelt next to him. "I think he's gone, I think I'm finally rid of him," she said softly, as if hardly believing it. "After all this time, all the nightmares, the worry, the sleepless nights! Thank you, thank you so much!" and before she could stop herself, she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him tightly to her.

Suddenly realising exactly what it was she had done, she pulled back, but for some reason, still kept her hands on his shoulders. He was looking directly into her eyes and she became painfully aware of how close they were to each other. She could feel his breath on her cheek, feel his chest rising and falling, feel his strong muscles beneath her hands. She didn't even bother to _try _and drag her mind from the gutter. She couldn't stop it; she leant forward and kissed him, firmly and without apology.

**xXxXx**

**AN:** So did you like? If you did, you know what to do – review, review, review! Hey that rhymes! (Yeah, I know I'm insane, but it's too late to do anything about it now, the doctor said so.)


	14. Solution Sweet

**AN: **Well here it is, sorry it's taken me so long to get out, but life has just been hectic lately! I've been running round like a mad thing getting all my uni applications sorted. Personal statements are an absolute nightmare, 4 000 characters! What a joke! (Lol, anyone else in my position? It sucks doesn't it?) Anyway I hope you enjoy the chapter, I think it's one of my favourites so far. Big shout out to my one and only gorgeous BETA **XxRoGuExHeArTxX**, who is an absolute legend. MWAH! Love you to pieces.

**Review Responses:**

**OneWhoSitsWithTheTurtles:** Yey! I won you over! I've recruited another! Umm…the deviant art website is quite good for some HP/DM art, or You should get some good ones just typing it into Google, there are loads out there!

**Abi 2:** Yeah the Blaise/Harry interaction was kind of casual, but Blaise is a pretty casual guy! Glad you like the other bits though, hope you like this chappie.

**IrishEnchantress:** Woo! 2 cookies and hot chocolate! You're spoiling me! Hehe, I hope you enjoy Sevie's reaction, there's a later one to come as well ;-)

**Seritha:** Sorry I made you wait so long for the chapter, lol, life has just been hectic! Hope you enjoy.

**brionyjae: **Lol, yeah I have quite a soft spot for Blaise, he's quite the dude! And yey, I still rock!

**randomtrees:** Well, I think I can forgive you for your delayed reviewing, especially as you said such nice things! Lol, again with the awesomeness, I'm loving it!

**Kristin:** Hehe, lol, you're not the first to say that, but don't worry, he'll just have to get over it! Glad you like.

**PaDfOoT Da GrEaT:** Lol, thanks for such an amusing review and so heartfelt! I hope I don't lose you again, I still have to fully convert you the idea of a Ginny/Snape relationship.

**Nerfi-Tiri: **Well I hope you enjoy the reaction, I quite like it!

**xXxXx**

_Previously: She didn't even bother to try and drag her mind from the gutter. She couldn't stop it; she leant forward and kissed him, firmly and without apology._

She almost pulled back, but then she felt him respond, his arms going around her back, pulling her up against him. She felt a delighted shiver go down her spine as their tongues met, sending her senses reeling as the friction between them became almost too delicious to bear. Something seemed to snap in him though; he abruptly pulled away and met her eyes, looking shocked and a little puzzled; an expression that did _not_ fit on his face at all.

"Forgive me, Miss Weasley," he said quietly, removing his arms from around her and standing up sharply. "That most definitely should not have happened, I apologise most profusely," he said, far more formally than he'd spoken to her in ages.

"_I_ kissed _you_! There's nothing to apologise for, I wanted it to happen," she insisted, rising to her feet, her mind spinning.

"For Merlin's sake I'm your teacher! It is severe abuse of my position – "

"Please," she half scoffed. "I made the first move, I hardly think that constitutes _you_ taking advantage of _me_. Don't tell me it didn't feel right," she finished softly, and he finally met her eyes and she could see the internal battle that was taking place within him.

"This _can't_ happen," he said slowly, his voice strange, as though he was speaking more to himself than to her. "I hold a position of authority and I just crossed a line that I shouldn't even have been anywhere near."

"Don't be so ridiculous," she said heatedly. "Are you not listening to what I'm saying? I'm not some impressionable, defenceless child for Merlin's sake! _I_ took the decision, _I _kissed you, this isn't some sordid abuse of power!" she said, her eyes flashing with the intensity behind her words.

"Then what on earth is it?" he asked with equal heat.

This silenced her for a moment and she averted her eyes from his, searching for some sort of help, something to make him see what it was she was trying to say. She wasn't exactly sure herself what was going on between them, but she was sure that there was no way she could simply have a normal student/teacher relationship with him, she couldn't settle for that little. "I don't know," she said quietly. "But you can't tell me that you see me the way you see the other students, no more than I see you the way I see the other teachers. Something's happening between us, you can't deny that," she said, finding his eyes once again, daring him to contradict her.

"Nothing _can_ happen," he contended.

"Why not?" she fired back, beginning to get slightly angry.

"You must be able to see that without me telling you, Ginny!"

That was the first time he'd ever used her first name and it threw her slightly. It felt so right to hear him say it, so natural to hear it from his lips. She took a deep breath and calmed herself; she knew getting agitated would get her nowhere, especially not when dealing with the man before her. She just didn't know how to make him see that she wanted this, that there was something between them that meant there was no way they could just stay on the safe side of the boundaries. There was no way that she could be just a student to him, no more than he could be just a teacher to her.

"I'm not a child," she reiterated. "You know that, you know I'm not like the others," she said softly, and moved a little closer to him. "Don't stand there and tell me that you think of me the way you think of anyone else, don't tell me that when we kissed just now you didn't feel something."

He shook his head, more to try and ground himself in reality than to answer in the negative. He _did_ feel something, he could try and deny it to her, but there was no way he could deny it to himself. He felt things he hadn't felt in years; he felt alive again, like nothing in the world mattered. But of course it did, it mattered very much. "I _do_ think of you differently," he admitted cautiously. "I admire your intelligence, your maturity – "

She made a frustrated noise and turned away from him, she was getting dangerously close to throttling him. "What do you want me to say Ginny?" he asked. "That this is fine? That we should just pretend as though this is a perfectly normal and acceptable situation?"

"I want you to stop lying to me, and yourself! I want you to stop being the cold, stoic Potions Master for once and just be a human being! I'm sick of this mask, because _that_ is the worst pretence of all!" she said fiercely and moved closer once again so she was glaring up into his onyx eyes. "Can't you just stop hiding behind it? What are you afraid will happen if you do?"

"Oh I don't know, something like _this_ perhaps?" he replied sarcastically.

"You know what? Fine, have it your way, hide away down here and pretend that everything's ok, pretend that there's nothing going on, even though we both know it's a lie, but I know the truth, and if you'd just stop lying to us both for one moment, you'd admit that you do too. Goodnight _Professor_," she said pointedly and swept out, half angry, half confused.

He released a sigh and shut his eyes in frustration, inwardly cursing himself and his stupidity. He flung himself down into the tall leather armchair and reached for the bottle of Firewhisky, never needing it more. He could hardly think straight. He could hardly think at all. All he could do was replay the events of the night and wonder how on earth things had taken the turn they had.

When she had kissed him, the thought never even occurred to him to pull away. The only thing he had wanted to do was to kiss her right back; it had taken a while for the reality of the situation to fully hit him. And hit him it did, like a barrage of rogue bludgers. She was his student, and granted she was unlike any other he had taught before, she was still a student nonetheless, and some lines you simply did not cross, no matter how much you might have wished to. Merlin but he couldn't help himself; he'd be lying if he said the thought had never once entered his mind before. He tried to be disgusted with himself, ashamed and remorseful, but somehow he just couldn't, he didn't see it that way.

Ginny herself had said, rather heatedly if he remembered correctly, that she was not a child, she wasn't like the others that poured into his classroom day in and day out. They hardly had two brain cells between most of them. She was different. She wasn't just a girl; she was a young woman, one who had seen more than her fair share of the world and one who was not 'impressionable' or 'defenceless' as she herself had argued. She knew what she wanted, she knew exactly what she was doing when she had kissed him. And that was just it; _she_ had kissed _him_, not the other way around, it wasn't as though he was taking advantage. But still, the ethical morality was there. Different or not, she was still his pupil, there was still a rather substantial age gap and there were a million and one other reasons why nothing could ever, ever happen between them.

He took a large swig of the Firewhisky, feeling a slight release as it scorched down his throat, attempting to burn away the entire night. Well, if he had his way, that was exactly what it was going to do. He was going to lose himself in the bottom of the bottle and forget all about Ginny Weasley. He was going to forget all about how her eyes had danced with passion when she had argued with him, how soft her lips had felt, how fantastic she had smelt, how her voice sounded when she was angry, how she was unlike anyone else he had previously encountered. Fuck. He was going to need more than one bottle.

**xXxXx**

If Harry had had suspicions before that he was going mad, he was now 100 percent positive that that was the case. He hadn't been able to see Draco in what felt like years and he couldn't get the blond off his mind. All he could think about was Draco; Draco's hair, Draco's eyes, Draco's lips, Draco's voice, Draco's…well, Draco's everything. He missed every aspect of his one-time roommate and it was slowly sending his poor brain insane. That was the reason why, at a quarter past midnight, he was roaming the halls, trying to get his mind to ease up and stop its incessant thinking. The attempt was failing splendidly.

The last time he had seen Draco was at breakfast, merely a fleeting glance, nowhere near satisfying enough. He rounded another corner, plunging into inky darkness. He stopped for a moment to allow his eyes to adjust themselves to the sudden change and he was just about able to make out a few shapes in the darkness when he felt a breath of air ghost over his ear, closely followed by, "Well what do we have here? A naughty little Gryffindor roaming the castle after curfew? Tut tut, whatever will I do with you?"

"Well," said Harry, relaxing after the initial shock, recognition flooding his senses, "I can think of one or two things."

"So can I," came the whispered response as Draco encircled Harry's slim waist and brought his chin to rest on his shoulder. "I've missed you today," he said, soft lips kissing the tanned neck being offered to him.

"Same," Harry replied, his knees weakening under the delicious contact that he had been needing all day. "Come on, there's an empty classroom just down there," he said, grabbing Draco's hand before it could slide under his robes and pulling him along down the corridor and into a classroom. He transfigured a few rusty old chairs into a comfy red sofa and pulled the blond down with him. He took a few moments to drink in the sight of Draco, feeling as though he had been thoroughly deprived of the wonderful image. He lifted a hand to lightly trace the well-defined features and smiled as he found his hands seemed to recognise every little thing about the pale, beautiful face. "I was worried about you," he told him softly.

"Oh?" Draco replied, quirking an eyebrow.

"I didn't know what the other Slytherins would do to you. You could have shown up this morning looking like you did at Christmas," he said, his hand shifting to rest at Draco's neck, his thumb absent-mindedly moving back and forth over the pale skin. "What happened?" he asked.

"Well, they tried it on, like I was expecting them to, but nothing too serious happened. Blaise was there fighting my corner, which I have to admit was something of a relief. Have you spoken with him?"

"Briefly, earlier today. He seems ok,"

"He is, I think you'll like him,"

"Not half as much as I like one other Slytherin,"

"That's good to hear," said Draco with a smirk.

"So you think Marcus Flint is a bit of alright too?" Harry said with an evil grin at Draco's indignant expression.

"You'll pay for that, Potter," and before Harry could enquire as to how, he found himself well and truly straddled, full lips attacking his own. He'd been waiting for this all day and the reality was so much better than his daydreams. Draco's hands wound themselves through Harry's thick hair and Harry lifted himself slightly to increase the contact with Draco. "You _have_ been missing me," Draco smirked as he felt the positive proof rub against his thigh, and his hand slipped lower and lower until he heard the delighted gasp from the writhing brunette.

"Here?" Harry asked breathily, not really that bothered at that point.

"Well I have no plans to move," Draco replied and Harry felt his belt being loosened, closely followed by the swift removal of his trousers. He managed to make some sort of unintelligible noise in the back of his throat as he felt hot, wet suction close around him, sending delicious chills up and down his spine. He fisted a hand through Draco's blond locks in an effort to try and retain at least a fraction of his sanity, but as Draco's tongue began a few teasing ministrations, he gave up the endeavour entirely.

He arched up off the sofa slightly as Draco cruelly teased his way from the base to the head, threatening to prematurely push Harry over the edge. If Draco had been able to, he would have smirked at the sounds of pleasure Harry was making. As it was, he simply carried on his attentions, eliciting the most delightful moans from the raven-haired boy, who by now had lost all thoughts of being caught; McGonagall could have walked in at that moment and he wouldn't for the life of him have been able to tell Draco to stop. The blond made a few teasing licks and swipes before taking the whole length and sucking hard. Harry bit down hard on his lip as waves of pleasure came crashing over him, hitting him with full force and sending his mind and senses into complete turmoil. He could feel nothing, think of nothing but the ecstasy that totally overwhelmed him. It took him a good few moments to come back down and when his senses finally returned to him, he found that Draco had shifted to sit next to him, one arm slung over the back of the sofa, a self-satisfied smirk on his face.

"Enjoy that did we, Potter?" he asked, receiving a silent nod in reply. He laughed and said, "I can tell", leaning over and gently brushing a few black strands from Harry's eyes.

"You have many hidden talents," Harry said, his breathing starting to return to normal. "Now, I think it's your turn."

**xXxXx**

Harry stepped through the portrait hole, a rather stupid smile playing about his lips as his mind continued to present him with images of what had just happened with Draco. He was hoping to simply slip back into Gryffindor and straight up to bed, but upon entering the common room, he found Ron and Hermione sitting on the sofa in front of the fire. Hermione had her legs swung over Ron's lap and they were talking in low voices, but the matter didn't seem incredibly serious as both had content sort of smiles upon their faces. Harry realised that the little pang of jealousy that used to plague him seemed to have vanished somehow. Another thing he had Draco to thank for he supposed.

"What have we here then?" he asked, stepping out of the shadow of the entrance and moving further into the common room.

"What are you doing up?" asked Ron, as Harry perched on the table opposite the sofa.

"I could ask you the same thing," Harry replied with a grin. "I couldn't sleep, thought a walk around the castle might do me some good," he said, hoping that he didn't look as flushed as he felt.

"And did it?" Hermione asked, looking strangely amused.

"Well I definitely feel better for it," Harry said, fighting down the smirk and a few memories that were threatening to surface. "What about you two? Insomnia as well, I suppose?"

"You could say that," Ron answered, not bothering to try and disguise the smirk that made its way onto his face as he glanced over at Hermione, who merely shook her head with a smile.

"Say no more!" said Harry, rising to his feet. "I think my brain can make all the necessary connections thank you very much! Well I won't interrupt anymore, I'm knackered. See you guys in the morning. Don't stay up too late hey?" he said with a wink, heading off up the stairs to his room and blissful dreams about a certain blond Slytherin.

"You buy that 'walking round the castle' crap?" Ron asked Hermione.

"Not for one second," she replied with a smile. "Candidates?"

"Not a Gryffindor, or he wouldn't have had to leave the Tower, and no one under 7th Year; he doesn't like them younger than him. I can't see it being a Hufflepuff either, too many mad, crazy fans, and…well they're just not his type really."

"So that leaves us with a 7th Year Ravenclaw or Slytherin. Any guesses?"

"You really think he'd go for a Slytherin? If he has, the list is narrowed down considerably as about five out of the whole 7th Year aren't marked as Death Eaters and I can't really see Harry playing tonsil tennis with someone who'd really rather he was dead. It's a mystery alright and it's odd that he obviously wants to hide it from us."

"Maybe he's just not ready to make whatever it is public. I'm sure he'll tell us when he's ready."

**xXxXx**

Severus paced the floor of the Potions dungeons, becoming extremely anxious about the 7th year class he was about to take. This was a rare, if unheard of occurrence, but the class in question contained one Ginny Weasley. He hadn't seen the redhead since it had happened, and he was dreading it to say the least. After she had left, he had made his way through an inordinate amount of Firewhisky and had woken the next morning feeling the effects most profoundly, cursing the name of Weasley. He hadn't ventured out of his quarters all day; he hadn't felt up to seeing her, to seeing the look in her eyes, being flooded with the memory of her soft, full lips. This lesson was going to be hell.

The bell rang and the silence of the dungeons was abruptly broken by the 7th years trudging in and taking their places. Severus carefully schooled his features into their usual mask and braced himself to meet her eyes. She was already looking at him, and when his eyes met hers she raised an eyebrow slightly, looking rather unimpressed. He held her gaze for a moment more then looked away, not trusting himself to look any longer; his mind was already helpfully providing him with a million and one thoughts he really did not need.

"Silence!" he barked. "I do not need a classroom full of chattering fools. This is the Potions laboratory, not your common room, kindly remember that. Now, the headmaster, in his great wisdom, has instructed several of the teachers to help with the promotion of 'inter-house relations'. In light of this, you will all be partnered with a member of the opposite house. _No c_omplaints!" he added swiftly, silencing the groans that were about to leave several students' lips. "There's a notice up at the back of the classroom with the designated partnerships, see who you are with and go and sit with them and do it with as little noise as possible," he growled, taking a seat behind his desk and watching as they all crammed to the back, smirking at some of the gripes and complaints made by some of the students.

Harry squeezed in front of Seamus and looked for his name. Upon seeing the one next to it he pushed out of the crowd and looked at Severus. He gave the man a covert smile and went to sit by Draco, who hadn't bothered to move, simply waiting for his partner to find him. Harry glanced surreptitiously at the blond who gave him a wink and moved his leg a little closer, smirking as he did so. This could turn out to be a very interesting Potions lesson.

"This project will take about two months and it is entirely open. As long as you do not stray into the darker side of the subject, the choice is yours. You will be marked on how well you work with your partner, how deeply you study the theory behind your chosen potion and of course, the end result. This counts as 30 of your final grade and you will be allowed one lesson a week to work on it. The rest must be done in your own time; you cannot afford to lose the rest of your lessons. I suggest you work out suitable times with your partner. If I find that anyone does not do their fair amount of work and is leaving their 'other half' to carry the burden, that person will automatically fail. Are there any questions?" Upon seeing that there weren't and everyone looked rather suicidal at that point (apart from two particular boys), he said, "Very well then, you may begin" and gave his attention to a rather large tome from the Restricted Section that he believed would be useful for research into the cure that he and Ginny were working on.

Ginny herself had been paired with Blaise Zabini, someone whom she had barely spoken to throughout her whole time at Hogwarts and had only ever heard her brother mention in passing. However, after speaking with Harry, she had found that they boy was actually his cousin and by all accounts he seemed to be a rather decent guy. Considering the partners her fellow housemates had been lumbered with, she deemed herself rather fortunate.

"Well then Miss Weasley, any particular preferences?" he asked in his low, rich tones.

"First of all, it's Ginny," she said with a smile, definitely pleased with her partner; maybe Snape had made the choice by way of an apology. Well, it wasn't going to work. "Secondly, I'm not really too bothered, although I am rather interested in healing potions, perhaps something along that line?" she suggested, glancing up at him.

"Sounds good. Any idea which area of healing?"

"Well," she began, sensing a perfect opportunity for some extra research into a cure for Voldemort's new curse. "I've always been interested in potions for rather extensive wounds, stab wounds, things like that. I know it sounds a bit a morbid, but it's very interesting. It might be a lot of work though, I don't know, what do you think?"

"I'm interested. I can see why they moved you up," he said with a charming smile, which Ginny found herself returning.

"Don't give me too much credit yet, we've only just started!"

"They seem to be getting on well enough," Harry commented quietly to his companion as they skimmed through a couple of potions textbooks, not taking in any of the words on the ancient pages.

"Nothing to worry about there, she's safe with Blaise," Draco returned, equally as quietly.

"I think you mean Blaise is safe with her!" said Harry with a small laugh. "Ginny can take care of herself, even if she ended up with Nott that girl would be alright, trust me."

"I do," Draco answered with a small smile as he looked down at his book. "You know, I can see endless possibilities for the countless study sessions we're going to need," he said, his eyes firmly fixed on this book in his lap. His foot, however, was steadily making its way up Harry's leg and the brunette shot him a glare.

"This isn't exactly the place," he whispered.

"And why not?" Draco asked nonchalantly, his foot continuing its journey whilst he casually flipped a page.

"Well for one, Severus is right in front of us and he's already given us a strange look. Secondly, we're in a classroom full of people," he said, his breath hitching slightly as Draco replaced his foot with his hand under the table, still not batting an eyelid. "You're pure evil, Malfoy," he growled.

"I try," was the reply and Harry had to fight very hard to keep the smile from his face. "Alright spoilsport, I'll behave, but don't think you're getting off so lightly next time," he said, finally removing his hand and Harry felt a mixture of both disappointment and relief. "I'll just save it for tonight and our 'study session'," he added with a suggestive smirk, which Harry hoped to Merlin that no one else saw. "Remind me to thank Severus for this 'accidental' pairing."

"Get in line," Harry replied, glancing up at his father. The man caught his eye for a moment and threw him a covert smirk, which Harry returned. The Slytherin Smirk was something that Harry seemed to be mastering rather well, which was rather understandable given his exposure to two of the House's finest representatives. Severus made a gesture for Harry to look downwards at the piece of parchment he had in front of him. Puzzled, Harry did so and after a moment's pause, spidery writing materialised saying _come and see me tonight at seven_. Harry looked back to Severus in amazement, how on earth had he done that? The man merely offered him another smirk and returned to his work, trying not to laugh at the look on his son's face, ah the things the boy didn't know.

Draco, who had been watching the exchange, whispered to Harry, "What the hell was that all about?"

"You tell me," Harry replied, noting that the writing had now disappeared. "The man seems to be full of secrets."

**xXxXx**

Severus sat in his quarters, flipping through his research but not really paying attention to what he was reading. Of course, it had been rather stupid to try and occupy his mind with something that was directly related to Ginny Weasley. With every turn of the page he saw her writing, smelt her perfume and remembered every little thing he was trying to force himself to forget. His earlier lesson with her had been hell; he had had to compel himself not to look at her, and he had wanted to, so very much. He knew that she had chanced a few glances at him throughout the lesson and he had determinedly kept his eyes on his work, not trusting himself to look up.

He hoped he had made the right decision in pairing her with Blaise. They were equally matched in intellect and he couldn't bear the thought of putting her with any of the others; it would be an insult, not to mention potentially dangerous; at least with Blaise he knew that her safety was guaranteed. He had to admit that he had felt the slightest pang of jealousy when he had heard her laughing with him and talking so easily, but then, he had only himself to blame, he could hardly place the fault with her. If only he could get her out of his thoughts; it seemed that she would plague him no matter what.

A knock at the door shook him out of his reverie and he looked up to see Harry hovering in the doorway, waiting expectantly. "Well come in for Merlin's sake, you must know by now that you don't need permission!" he said, placing the research on the table next to him as Harry came and sat in the chair opposite. "Long day? You look worn out," he said, leaning back and appraising the boy.

"I am. All the teachers seem to think it's a wonderful idea to overload us with work until we break, and you're no exception!" he added with a half-hearted glare.

"Do you really expect any less of me?"

"Not at all, doesn't mean I have to like it though. I suppose a thank you is in order though," he said mock grudgingly. Severus raised an eyebrow and Harry elaborated, "Pairing me with Draco. I've had commiserations about it all day," he said with a laugh.

"Well I noticed that you two seemed to become a lot closer of Christmas and obviously there wouldn't be ample opportunity for you to spend much time together now, it seemed like a good cover-up. I'm glad you two have made friends, you're good for each other," he said.

"What would you say…" Harry began tentatively. "If I told you that we were…more than that?" he asked, slowly looking up Severus, praying fervently that this wouldn't tip the delicate balance they had managed to find in their relationship. He had been debating all day about whether to tell the man; it seemed rather odd that he was telling Severus Snape before Ron and Hermione, but somehow he just felt like he wanted the man to know. He figured that if anyone would understand, it would most probably be him.

"Are you telling me that you and Draco are…involved somehow?" he asked levelly. Harry nodded, biting the inside of his lip in waiting for the response. "Well I can't say I'm wholly surprised given your behaviour last term, it was plain to see that something was going on between you, something that maybe you both didn't fully understand."

"But, are you ok with it?" Harry asked carefully.

"Why wouldn't I be? Harry you're my son, it doesn't matter to me who you chose to go out with." Upon these words, Harry felt a partial bit of the weight drop from his shoulders. That was one hurdle overcome at least. He let out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding and he heard Severus give a light laugh. He looked at him questioningly and the man said, "I think you forget that in the wizarding world this sort of thing doesn't have the same kind of stigma attached to it that it does in the muggle world. People really don't care about that sort of thing anymore, it doesn't bother them," he explained.

"I think it's going to bother quite a few people," Harry replied quietly, thinking that the reactions of his classmates weren't going to be anywhere as calm and accepting as his father's.

"Well that's their problem isn't it? If they can't be bothered to be good enough to stand by you then I would hardly consider them worth it. Something tells me though that those friends of yours will. They've stuck by you through a lot worse. You just need to get the idea out of your head that it's something to be so ashamed of, that's simply a result of years of indoctrination at the hands of those stupid muggles," he said darkly.

"Yes, well the less said about them the better," Harry said, slightly uncomfortably.

"Actually Harry, I _did_ want to speak with you about them. We somehow managed to forget about them with everything that went on over Christmas, but don't think for a minute that it's gone out of my mind. I know you probably don't want to talk about this, but I really think you need to, I need to know what happened too," he said gently, not wanting to push Harry into talking, but reluctant to just let the matter go. "Are you ok to talk about this?"

"I…I suppose so," Harry said, not meeting Severus' eyes. He had been avoiding talking about this for so long; even with Draco the matter seemed to have been dropped and he had been able to push it to the back of his mind. Judging by the expression of the man sitting before him, Harry realized he had only been giving himself false hope.

"How long has it been going on for?" he asked softly, every word rather difficult for him. He couldn't bear the idea that someone had been abusing his son, making his life miserable. It was almost too much to bear.

"A while," Harry replied quietly, looking down at his hands, wishing that he could be anywhere else. "Ever since I can remember I've always been the 'outcast' of the family. They hate magic, hate anything to do with it. Of course, that includes me, and they hate me more than anything. It started off small at first, just a light slap occasionally, mostly harsh words and isolation. Then it got worse," he said, finding that it was getting a little easier to talk about it. It was almost starting to feel…relieving in a way. He'd kept it hidden, buried so deeply for so long that it was a kind of release to finally talk about it. "The first time he properly hit me I must have been about thirteen, I can't even remember what it was I was supposed to have done, but then, he's never needed much of an excuse. He split my lip that time and left it at that, I was just grateful he didn't do more. Then I guess it just got gradually worse; he hit me harder and more often, it almost became habit. I tried to stop him, but he was just too strong for me, there was nothing I could do and I just felt so worthless. I _did_ try and stop him, but every attempt I made only seemed to enrage him further and make him it me harder." He gave a bitter laugh. "How ridiculous, Harry Potter, Golden Boy, Hero of the Wizarding World, can't even defend himself from a muggle."

"Harry you can't think like that," said Severus, moving from his chair and kneeling in front of the raven-haired boy. "There was _nothing_ you could have done, do you hear me? Nothing. We should have kept a better watch on you, we shouldn't have let it get anywhere near that stage. We're the ones at fault, not you. You have nothing to reproach yourself for, do you understand me?" he almost implored and Harry gave a slow nod, still unable to meet the man's eyes, tears threatening to leave his own. "You must believe me, Harry, I honestly had no idea that anything like this was going on or you can be sure that I would have taken you away the instant I found out, the Elders and the Circle be damned. I would have come and taken you myself, if I'd have known, I'd have killed them," he said, taking Harry's face in his hands and looking him straight in the eye. "You heard what I said in that memory, I would do _anything_ to keep you safe and I promise, I _promise_ that I will never let anything like that happen to you again," and he pulled him into a fierce hug, pulling him tightly to him, feeling the waves of pain and emotion that radiated from him.

"I know," Harry whispered, then added quietly, "Dad."

It was so soft that Severus wasn't entirely sure he had heard right, but when he pulled away and saw the lopsided smile on the boy's face, he knew he had and he had to steady himself slightly, almost needing to pinch himself to prove that this was in fact reality. "Harry," he began slowly. "You know it's fine if you don't want…"

"Hey," Harry cut in with a laugh. "You know I never do anything I don't want to do. You're my dad, I think it's time to acknowledge that fact, if not publicly then at least between us. In seventeen years I've never been able to call anyone 'Dad', the word almost feels alien. And don't look like that!" he chided, seeing the almost guilty look on the man's face. "I know you couldn't have helped it, neither of us are to blame for the ways things worked out," he said softly. "All we can do now is look to the future, starting here."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Severus replied with something that dangerously resembled a smile.

Harry nodded and the two sat in a comfortable sort of silence for a while, regarding each other in light of the evening's transpirations. Severus would never show it, but he actually couldn't remember a time in the past seventeen years when he had felt so happy. He was still absolutely furious about Harry's treatment at the hands of the Dursleys and couldn't help but blame himself for it, but he had never felt closer to his son and he could only hope that this would only be the start of their relationship.

"I should probably get back or everyone will be wondering what's happened to me. Thanks again for what you did for Draco and I, we both appreciate it."

"You won't be able to keep it a secret forever you know," Severus warned gently.

"I know, but right now I can't deal with thinking about that on top of everything else. People need to get used to Draco being on our side first before they can even begin to deal with the idea of him and me…anyway, it's too complicated right now, better off the way it is."

"Well it's your life, you must make your choices the way you see fit. Goodnight, Harry."

"Goodnight…Dad."

**xXxXx**

Ginny inwardly cursed her own stupidity as she stumbled once again along one of the dimly lit dungeon corridors. She must have temporarily taken leave of her senses when she made the decision to go and see Severus; it was well after curfew and the Slytherin dungeons were from safe after dark. She tried to steady her breathing and tried to keep as close to the wall as possible. She knew how foolish she was being, but if she had to stay in her dorm any longer, her mind connecting everything to Severus, she was going to go insane. She had made a concerted effort in her Potions lesson to keep her gaze as far away from him as possible, but her treacherous mind had made her steal glances at him every now and then, just to see how he was dealing with the situation.

He looked relatively calm, but she had studied the man closely enough to know that that was simply an elaborate cover. She knew the man, knew how to decipher him, and she could tell that he was just as nervous and tense as she was. She certainly hadn't been able to stop thinking about the other night and she was sure that he hadn't either; she just had to get him to admit that. However, that was far easier said than done. The man was even more stubborn than she was, and that was saying something.

She suppressed a shudder as the lights dimmed even more as she rounded a corner. Why couldn't she have just waited till the morning to go and see him? But no, she had to be all impulsive and go dashing off in the middle of the night to confront the man when he would have no excuse to get rid of her. She stopped in her tracks as she heard a noise behind her, her heart starting to beat uncomfortably fast. Just as she thought she was being silly and her overactive imagination was getting the better of her, she saw a figure move in the darkness, approaching her.

"Well, if it isn't the littlest Weasley," came a voice that she instantly recognised as Nott. Her heart sank and she braced herself for whatever confrontation was about to come her way.

"What do you want?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Now that's not very friendly is it?" he drawled, moving closer, backing her up against the wall.

"Sorry, I always find my manners desert me when I get pushed up against a dungeon wall, I really should work on that," she said coldly, looking him directly in the eyes, showing him that she wasn't afraid of him, even though inside, her fear was steadily rising.

"You're not welcome down here, Weasley. We don't want your mudblood-loving kind anywhere near us. You're scum, a disgrace to purebloods everywhere."

"Coming from you, that's a serious compliment," she sneered, fervently wishing that she was just a little bit taller so he couldn't tower over her the way he was doing now.

"Watch your mouth," he hissed and backed her up closer to the wall so that the stones dug painfully into her back. "Or I'll close it for you," he snarled. "What are you going to do?" he mocked, seeing the slightest flash of fear in her eyes. "Nowhere to run, no one to help you. Who's going to hear if you scream? Shall I make you scream?" he asked with a leer, placing a hand each side of her head, completely blocking her in.

"If you lay one finger on me…."

"You'll do what?" he scoffed. "You really think you can stop me?"

"I can try. If you think I'm not going to put up a fight, you've got another thing coming," she said fiercely, calling upon all of her Gryffindor courage.

He laughed and leant in closer, saying with a snarl, "I reckon I'm really going to enjoy this."

"_I _reckon you're not going to get the chance," she bit out, lifting her head high; she would never let him see her fear, never. "It takes a really big man to rape a girl in a deserted corridor at night, you must feel so proud," she spat.

"I think that's enough noise from you, it's about time you learnt your place," he said and leant in, but she brought her hand up to resound smartly with his cheek, stopping him in his tracks.

"You bitch," he snarled and grabbed her wrists, pushing her harshly against the walls so her head connected painfully with the stones. "You'll pay for that one," he hissed.

"Get away from her, Nott," came a voice from the shadows and Ginny took in a deep breath when she saw Draco emerge from the darkness. Nott released his grip on her wrists and turned to face the blond. She wasn't exactly sure if she was relieved or not; Draco had sounded as though he was warning him off her, but that could just be because he wanted to have his own fun. Still, she had an idea that Draco was the lesser of two evils, at least, she hoped he was.

"Well, if it isn't the turncoat," Nott sneered and Ginny frowned. Turncoat? Then that meant…."Come to join your mudblood-loving little friends? How touching."

"If you don't get away from her now I promise I will make you regret it," Draco said levelly, his voice low and threatening, his expression unfaltering. Ginny felt Nott hesitate for a moment before stepping away from her and she felt the relief flood her, trying to keep her expression as neutral as possible. "Get out of here," Draco said, looking rather disgusted with the pitiful excuse for a human being in front of him. "And if I see you threatening another student again, you'll be in for it, and I don't mean from the teachers."

Nott puffed himself up and shot both of them venomous glares before turning and storming off in the opposite direction. Ginny watched him go for a second before turning to look at Draco, whose eyes were still following Nott, loathing etched into his features. "Thanks," she said quietly and he turned to face her, his expression shifting back to its usual neutrality.

"Are you ok?" he asked and she nodded. "The guy's scum, don't worry, I'll make sure it doesn't happen again," he said, and something told her that he meant it.

"Why did you help me?" she asked, unable to stop herself.

"You expected me to stand by and watch?" he asked, becoming defensive. "We're not all like him you know, some of us do have morals."

"That's not quite what I meant," she said with a frown, and Draco found himself under her scrutinising gaze. "The _way_ you did it, there was something more than you simply obeying your conscience. You've switched haven't you?" she asked softly. "That's why you helped me, that's why you were looking at him the way you were."

"Merlin help anyone trying to keep anything from you! Severus was right, Merlin's bones," Draco said, realising just how accurate the man's assessment of the girl had been. He sighed, "Yes Weasley, I've switched sides. I'm a blood traitor," he said with a raised eyebrow.

"I can think of worse things to be," she said wryly. "Well, whatever your reasons, thank you for what you did tonight. I really don't want to think about what might have happened if you hadn't have come. I really do appreciate it," she said sincerely.

"You're welcome. Like I said, we're not all like him, some of us aren't rooting for the downfall of wizardkind," he said and she smiled, both at his words and at the irony of the situation. "What are you doing down here at this time anyway?" he asked.

"I was coming to see Professor Snape," she said, averting her eyes from his. "I have a few things that I need to talk with him about."

Draco raised an eyebrow but merely said, "Come on then, I'll take you there. Can't have you wandering around on your own can we? Never know what you'll get yourself into next."

Ginny smiled and fell into step next to him, wondering at the oddity of the situation. It seemed that nothing in life could simply be taken at face value anymore. There were so many facets to the human character that it would take a whole lifetime just to know one person well enough to truly know them. She glanced over at Draco and noted the faded scarring and bruising across his face, wondering if it was linked to his current allegiance. She knew better than to ask though; Slytherins were ridiculously secretive and private, not to mention stubborn, she added, steeling herself for the approaching meeting with Snape. She had no idea what she was going to say, but she was damned if she was just going to let the matter lie.

They approached the Potions dungeon and Draco gave a swift knock on the door, then opened it, holding if for her to step through. She gave him an amused smile and said, "I didn't have you down for a gentleman."

"I'm just full of surprises. Professor Snape?" he called, seeing that the dungeon was empty. There was a moment's pause and Ginny readied herself, slightly apprehensive. He appeared from his quarters and frowned questioningly upon seeing the two students hovering in his doorway.

"Well?" he asked.

Draco moved over to the other man and pulled him aside, saying quietly, "Weasley was on her way down here to meet you and Nott gave her some trouble, he was pretty aggressive, but he left when I told him to. They're going to need watching, they're trouble," Draco said seriously and Severus nodded, his expression grave.

He looked over to Ginny, who was looking slightly put out, he imagined she probably didn't want him knowing what had happened, how typical. "Miss Weasley, are you alright?" he asked, looking levelly at Ginny, his face unreadable.

"I'm fine," she replied. "He didn't get a chance to do anything," she said and she could have sworn she saw Severus tense slightly.

"Well I'll be getting back, good evening," said Draco, retreating.

"Thanks again," Ginny called after him. "I really do appreciate it."

He merely nodded then strolled away, his hands in his pockets, as casual as ever. Ginny turned back to face Severus and the two simply appraised each other for a few moments before Severus asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I think you probably know the answer to that," she replied softly. "I saw you today in the lesson; you could barely even look at me. How long is this going to go on for? We can't just pretend that nothing's happening," she finished, refusing to break eye contact with him.

"And what exactly is happening, Ginny?" he asked, his voice tinged with frustration.

"Well you tell me," she remarked snidely, folding her arms. "Because frankly, I'm getting rather tired of it."

"What is it you expect to get from coming to see me tonight? A repetition of the other night's events? A discussion in which the problems of the universe will be resolved? Be realistic Ginny," he said and Ginny had to seriously restrain herself from giving him a smack.

"I think I'm being perfectly realistic thank you very much," she said with forced calm, her eyes following his agitated movements round the dungeon. "We're not children for Merlin's sake!" she said in exasperation.

"Well, one of us isn't," he said, stopping and facing her, his tone serious and slightly sarcastic. She clenched her jaw, bristled at his remark. She knew she was young, but she liked to think that it was only in years. She didn't act like a sixteen year old (nearly seventeen she reminded herself), and she thought that she had shown him that she could be just as adult as he, more in fact.

"How can you say that to me? After everything, how can you possibly stand there and call me a child? I might have been young and innocent and naïve once, but that was all lost a very long time ago, you know that. You know I'm as far removed from a child as you can possibly get. I would have thought you of all people could relate to that," she finished quietly but firmly, her eyes for once conveying all that lay within her. It was quite breathtaking to behold. "I knew perfectly well what I was doing the other night," she said softly, moving closer to him, unable to stand having such physical distance between them. "I wanted to kiss you, and don't you dare try to deny that you kissed me back."

"I'm not attempting to deny it," he said with irritating calm. "I'm merely saying that it cannot, under any circumstances, happen again."

"Not even if we both want it to?" she asked, titling her head slightly to look up at him, her gaze steady and strong. "Tell me," she almost whispered. "Tell me you haven't thought about that kiss. Tell me you want to forget it ever happened and go back to how we were. Because if you're honest with us both, I don't think you'll be able to."

"It doesn't matter what I want," he said firmly, though Ginny could detect the slightest waver in his voice, the slightest flicker of uncertainty. "We can't do this, it goes against every principle, every ethic…"

"Because you've always been so concerned about principles and ethics," she cut in heatedly and immediately regretted what she had said. "Forgive me," she said softly, ashamed at her low punch. "But Severus, you're driving me insane," she said and slowly reached a hand up to lightly rest on his cheek. He swallowed hard, slightly thrown by her use of his name. He had never heard her voice it before, and the sound was more pleasurable than he could have imagined. He was having very serious difficulty trying not to picture her saying it in different circumstances, very different circumstances. Her small hand on his face was sending off waves of fire throughout his entire body and he found that he could not tear his eyes from her own. "I know this is madness," she said gently. "I know that this isn't supposed to happen, but I just can't stop it. I don't _want_ to stop it."

She went to lower her hand, but he caught it with his own and their fingers gently entwined. She looked at their hands in slight confusion and then looked back at him, searching his face for an indication. "Merlin Ginny if you had the first clue what you do to me," he said in a low voice. "I've been trying and trying to get you out of my head, but I can't and though I curse myself for it, I can't stop thinking about you."

"Then stop trying," she whispered, and pulled him down into the slowest, sweetest kiss he had ever experienced. His arms came tightly around her and he pulled her to him as closely as possible, initiating as much contact as was physically possible. Her arms snaked round his neck, pulling him deeper into the kiss, inviting him to do as he wished. It was slow and sensual, delicious pleasure wrapped around such a final release. She let out a soft moan of delight as his tongue sought out hers, invading her senses and sending shivers throughout her entire body. He tasted wonderful and Ginny revelled in the experience of feeling totally intoxicated by him; it was a feeling she was sure she could become accustomed to. They finally broke apart and he rested his forehead gently against hers, his black, impenetrable eyes gazing down into hers. For all their darkness, though, those eyes seemed thawing as she watched them, growing warmer and softer. "If you apologise for that one, I promise to all that is good that I will throttle you," she said, only half seriously.

"Ginny, I can safely say that no apologies need be made for that. None whatsoever."

**xXxXx**

**Hope you like, please review! ;-)**


	15. But Those Unheard Are Sweeter

**AN: **Ok people I am soooooo sorry that this has taken me so long to get out, but life has just been hectic to the point of being farcical! Anyway, I've replied to you all through the new 'review response' system, but those who reviewed anonymously, thank you all so much, I appreciate all your comments and feedback and I hope you keep on reading and reviewing.

Big thanks as always to **XxRoGuExHeArTxX **for her continued support and wonderful BETA work, love you hun! xXx

So without further ado, here it is……

"Draco, I really don't think _this_ constitutes studying," Harry said with a laugh as Draco's hands snaked over his shoulders and down on his chest. Harry had been trying against all odds to do some Potions studying when the blonde menace snuck up behind him at the table. "You're terrible; you've been here for about…what? Forty five minutes now and you have yet to even look at a book!"

"I didn't hear you complaining before," Draco said in a slightly sing-song voice as he brought his chin to rest on Harry's shoulder. "Quite the opposite in fact."

"People are going to get suspicious you know," Harry warned, though his heart really wasn't it; he was beginning to care less and less if people knew. "Anyone could walk in at any second," he cautioned.

They were in Harry's room, and had been since the end of lessons. Draco had received glares full of daggers as he had made his way through the Gryffindor common room to the prefect's quarters. Ginny had given him a swift smile, which he had returned, at least, as much as a Malfoy would allow himself to smile in public. Draco had been desperate to see Harry all day, almost to the point where he was sure he was about to go completely insane if he didn't see the boy. The second Harry had opened the door Draco had pounced, barely giving Harry enough time to shut the door behind them, not, as Draco had pointed out, that Harry had complained at all. He was just as eager to see the blond.

"Oh but don't you think that adds to the fun?" Draco asked teasingly as he settled himself in Harry's lap.

"Not really, if you consider what Ron's reaction would be!" Harry replied. "I think he and Hermione are starting to suspect something though," Harry added thoughtfully.

"About us?" Draco asked, looping his arms around Harry's neck.

"Not specifically I don't think, but they know something's going on with me, they keep dropping hints about 'another person'. Ginny seems to have a knowing little smile about her as well these days, but I'm terrified to ask! Actually that reminds me, she told me about what you did for her the other night, and I want to thank you. I don't know what I would have done if she'd been hurt," Harry said, physically shaking the thought from his head.

"Like I could really just let Nott get away with that. I think I'd have you and your father to answer to! You should have seen his face when I took her down to him," Draco said with a laugh.

"Dad? Why would he be worried about Ginny?" Harry asked with a puzzled frown.

Draco shrugged and said, "I don't know, but when I talked to him about changing sides a while ago he mentioned her, he said something that was the closest thing to a compliment I've ever heard from him! Maybe it's because they're working together, I think he respects her intelligence and her mind. She seems very bright… well she must be, getting moved up a year. Maybe he sees something of himself in her."

"Perhaps," Harry said thoughtfully. "They're similar in lots of ways, especially in terms of intelligence. Anyway, I'm just glad she was alright, who'd have thought you'd play the role of guardian angel?" he said with a smirk, winding his arms round Draco's back.

"If you're going to tease me for my beatific actions, then I shall be sure to return to my evil Slytherin ways," he returned with a mock pout.

"Oh please do, I have missed them," he said and went to lean in for a kiss. It was a lucky thing that he didn't quite make it, as half a second later there came a knock on the door followed by Ron's inquiring "Harry?". Harry had never seen Draco move so quickly; he was up from his lap and over by the window in a split second, just as Ron came through the door.

"Sorry to bother you mate," he said, casting a sideways glance at Draco. "A group of us are heading off for a game of Quidditch, we wanted to know if you wanted to join us."

"Um," Harry began, glancing over at Draco, trying to gage his reaction.

"Oh don't mind me," Draco said, assuming his 'arrogant Slytherin' pose. "I was just leaving, a few more minutes alone with Potter and I might just lose my mind," he said, which wasn't altogether untrue. "Do make sure you carry on with the research Potter, I'm not doing this all myself, even though it probably would be the safer option," Draco continued as he sauntered over to the door and slid out past Ron. "See you around," he said and threw Harry a wink and a cheeky smirk as Ron turned his back on him.

"Has he been giving you much trouble?" Ron asked.

"No more than usual," Harry answered, trying very hard to hide his own smirk.

"I heard something odd about him today," Ron said, leaning against Harry's table and folding his arms. Harry raised a questioning eyebrow and Ron elaborated, "There have been a few rumours going around that he's switched sides, denounced the Death Eaters and Voldemort. What do you make of it?" he asked.

Harry paused for a second, considering his answer. "Well," he began slowly. "His behaviour _has_ changed lately and I've noticed that he doesn't sit with the other Slytherins, he hardly mixes with them at all. He _could_ have defected I suppose," he said levelly, hoping that he merely sounded as though he were considering the prospect. "What would you think if he had?" he asked carefully, anxious to know what Ron's reaction would be.

"Now there's a question," said Ron, taking a seat on the bed. "I really couldn't say, mate. I mean, is it possible to just switch after all those years of having it hammered into his skull? Can one person just change like that? Especially someone like _Malfoy_; it's a pretty big deal. How do we know that they haven't told him to tell Dumbledore that he's on our side so he can feed information to them? I'm just saying that we can't be too quick to accept someone who's been so closely involved with You-Know-Who his whole life. If he truly _is_ on our side then fine, not that it earns him big points with me; he's still a bastard. I think we should all be careful, though, it is still Malfoy we're talking about after all," said Ron seriously. "I guess we'll just have to see."

"Yeah I guess so," Harry replied quietly, going over Ron's words in his head.

"Anyway, you coming for a game?" asked Ron, heading for the door.

"Actually I think I'll pass, I've got a lot to do," he replied a little distractedly.

"Alright, well come and join us if you change your mind. See you later," he said, leaving Harry alone with his now rather disturbed and rather worrying thoughts. The power of words; they had more impact than a fist ever could.

**xXxXx**

Ginny sat in the quidditch stands, a textbook open but unread in her lap as she stared out at the Hogwarts grounds, a pensive, somewhat content expression on her face. The common room had been far too busy and a little suffocating to be able to form any kind of coherent thoughts, so she had sought refuge elsewhere, always preferring the outdoors when she needed to give her thoughts some time to air themselves. At this present time she was casting her mind over the past couple of days and all that had happened in that time. The situation seemed slightly surreal and Ginny had to really tell herself that everything with Severus really had happened and it wasn't just her mind tricking her.

She smiled slightly as she remembered their meeting the night before. When she had made the decision to go and see him, she really hadn't been sure what she had expected to happen, but she knew she couldn't leave the situation the way it was, she had needed to talk to him. The outcome was really beyond what she could have imagined it would be, and she was still smiling like a little girl at the memory of it. She knew it was crazy, really, totally, completely crazy, but she just couldn't help it. What was she supposed to do, tell herself to stop feeling the way she did when he was around her? She couldn't see that working somehow. She didn't know where this was going to go, what would happen, but she wasn't adverse to finding out, just as long as no one else did. Especially Harry. Now there would be an interesting conversation some time down the line, hopefully not too soon. She was still dealing with her own feelings on the subject, let alone anyone else's.

"Surely this is a situation that requires the loss of house points, Miss Weasley," came a silky voice from behind her.

She didn't turn around, merely smiled and replied, "I can think of a better one." He sat down beside her and she turned and gave him a soft smile, which faltered slightly when she saw how tired he looked. "What's wrong?" she asked concernedly.

"Nothing," he said with a shake of his head, but his voice and the fatigue in his movements betrayed otherwise.

"How stupid do you think I am? And be _very_ careful how you answer that," she said with a teasing glare, shifting closer to him, looking him directly in the eye.

"I've just had rather a lot of work lately that's all, it's nothing to worry about."

"But I _do_ worry," she said, taking his hand. "I worry that you're going to burn yourself out if you carry on the way you have been. It's not possible for one man to do as much as you do. I'm not preaching, really I'm not, I just want to make sure that you're alright."

His features softened slightly and he gently traced a line down her cheek with one long finger. "You can't solve all the world's problems," he said quietly.

"I wasn't under the impression that I could," she said smiling. "But I _can_ try and persuade you to stop being a fool. Just promise me that you won't overdo it, just tell me if it's getting too much," she said softly as he laced his fingers through hers.

"I'm not planning on settling down for retirement just yet," he said dryly.

"You know perfectly well that that's not what I meant," she said raising an eyebrow in mock admonishment. She shivered and moved closer to him, moving down a step so she could sit in front of him, leaning into his strong chest, his arms going easily around her.

"Do you ever wish sometimes that life was simple?" he asked softly.

"No," she replied, just as he had known she would. "Because that would mean that I would live my life in constant fear." His brow furrowed in confusion, but before he could ask her meaning, she elaborated. "I'm scared of simple, I don't know how to deal with it. I need complexities, I need the rush that living a life full of paradoxes and hardships and complications brings. I've never known simple, I wouldn't know how to even begin coping with that. Life isn't simple, it's not supposed to be; it's made up of contradictions, intricacies, and a million and one things that nobody will ever be able to understand. The day life gets simple is the day we know the world has ended," she finished quietly, her voice ghosting through the still night.

"You're a very interesting young woman, Miss Weasley," he said with a tinge of amusement in his voice.

"We're well matched then," she replied and settled into his hold, satisfied for the moment that whilst life itself wasn't simple, facets of it could be.

**xXxXx**

Draco sat in History Of Magic becoming increasingly frustrated. It wasn't Binns' incessant droning or Weasley's less than subtle snores, or even the scratching noise of Longbottom's quill. No, it was the fact that any attempt on his part to have a little 'fun' with Harry was stopped dead every time. He had arrived 'late' so that he would have no choice but to take the seat next to Harry, making a grand show about how put out he was at having to do so, and now he was sitting next to the boy in question, no one paying attention whatsoever, he simply wasn't willing to play.

He knew Harry didn't want people to find out about them, but there really was no chance of that happening at all. Everyone was asleep apart from Granger, and she was too ensconced in taking notes to notice anything amiss. He sighed and finally gave up. If Harry wasn't going to respond, he wasn't about to beg him. A Malfoy never begged. Still it was annoying as hell to want to touch him, be touched and to feel as though you were trying to entice a statue.

The bell rang and the students raised their heads from their desks, looking thoroughly annoyed at having their peaceful sleep interrupted. One by one they piled out of the classroom and as they did, Draco furtively pulled Harry into a nearby classroom and closed the door behind them.

"Ok, what's wrong with you today?" he asked directly, looking Harry straight in the eyes.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked evasively.

"You know full well what I mean, you've barely looked at me all day and any time I get near you you move away. What's going on?"

"Nothing, I just don't want anyone to catch us, that's all. You know it would be murder if they all found out now, I don't want it to happen yet, I want it to be on our terms, no one else's," Harry said with a shrug.

"That's all very well but I know that's not the whole reason," Draco said assuredly, resting against the door with his arms folded. "You've never been any good at lying and you certainly haven't improved recently, so come on, you're not leaving here until you tell me."

"It's nothing alright? I just didn't feel like it today that's all."

"I'm not buying it, Potter," Draco pushed.

Harry sighed and ran an agitated hand through his hair, biting on his bottom lip, a habit Draco realised the boy indulged when he was nervous or worried about something. That didn't bode well. "Look, it's just something Ron said after you left the other day that's all."

"You're going to have to give me a little more than that, Harry," Draco said, confused at what Weasley had to do with anything.

"He just said something that bothered me a little that's all," said Harry, looking highly uncomfortable and as though he would rather be anywhere else at that precise moment. "He mentioned that he'd heard that you might have changed sides and that…he was just bit wary about the whole thing, that maybe it could just be a ruse to gain information," he finished quietly, averting his eyes from the blond's steely gaze.

Draco's features hardened and he shook his head disbelievingly. "Don't tell me that you even entertained that idea for a second," he said incredulously. "Merlin's beard you did!" he accused. "After everything you don't trust me! Well thanks a lot Harry," he said, bitterness laced into every syllable. "I almost lost my life this Christmas making sure that I didn't become Voldemort's slave, I came here to you, _you_, no one else. I put myself in your hands and I even swore allegiance to Dumbledore! And still, still after all that you let the idiot ramblings of Weasley plant a seed of doubt in your mind about me. Do you have any idea what I've been through in the past few days? I've had to watch my back at every turn because I know the other Slytherins are just waiting for the perfect moment to catch me off guard and destroy me. I've barely slept because I haven't been able to close my eyes because all I can do is think about what they'll do to me if I do. And all this I've done for you," he said through clenched teeth. "Only to find out that you think that maybe I might be being a naughty little Slytherin and feeding information back to old Voldie. Well that's just great, that's the icing on the fucking cake," he said, heading for the door.

"Draco wait," said Harry, moving to stop him from leaving, feeling thoroughly ashamed of himself.

"For what? More accusations? I think I can do without thanks. What do you want Harry? Proof? Fine, you'll get proof," and with that he swept out, leaving one utterly dejected Gryffindor behind.

**xXxXx**

"Well that really wasn't very sensible now was it?" Severus said as Harry finished telling him the whole story. The brunette had sought him out after lessons had ended and had poured the whole thing out, not knowing what else to do.

"Yes, thank you for that wonderful observation, what a great help you are," said Harry rolling his eyes.

Severus smirked and leant back in his chair. "Listen, I'm not going to pretend that it wasn't a stupid thing to do, Harry. Think about it, think about what he's given up, the risks he's taken. It's no surprise that he hasn't taken kindly to accusations regarding his sincerity. You don't really doubt him do you?" he asked.

"No of course not, I was just letting Ron's words get to me, I know I'm just being an idiot. Do you think he'll forgive me?"

"If you give him some time to cool off. Do you have any idea what he meant when he said he'd give you proof?"

"Not a clue. I shouldn't have let him walk off like that, I should have told him that I didn't need any proof, that I believed him anyway. I do, I really do. He gave up everything, almost died because of it and all I can do is doubt him. What does that say about me?" Harry asked, putting his head in his hands in frustration. Severus sighed and walked out from behind his desk, placing a firm hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Harry, this isn't exactly a common situation. You two are still finding your feet with each other, there are bound to be obstacles you have to overcome, the biggest issue being trust. You've been enemies for so long, it isn't exactly an easy transition to make, you need to learn how to read each other, to know when the other's lying, then you'll be left in no doubt whatsoever. Not of course, that there's any need for such doubt in this instance," he finished softly. "I've known Draco longer than you, and he's a good person, I'm sure you know that." Harry nodded slowly. "Give it some time then talk to him, he'll understand."

"I hope so, I don't want to lose him, not after just finding each other. Thanks Dad," he said with a small grin, still becoming used to that word.

"No problem, son," Severus returned with a smirk, also having to adjust to the feeling of being referred to as 'Dad'; it was something that he never imagined would happen. He couldn't believe that Harry was actually talking to him, let alone acknowledging him as a father. It was more than he could have hoped for.

"Right, time to face the Dragon I suppose. Give me strength."

**xXxXx**

Draco sat at the Slytherin table, pointedly ignoring the glares and poisoned glances that were being sent his way. He was simply biding his time, waiting for the opportune moment to strike and hit the entire school with a blow that would leave them reeling. He had left Harry earlier that morning feeling hurt, betrayed and angry. A couple of hours locked away in his room staring blankly out of the window had had the desired calming effect, and his earlier feelings had been replaced with determination, a determination to make sure that whatever seeds of doubt were in Harry mind were swiftly and most assuredly removed.

"I don't know how you dare to sit at this table Malfoy," Nott hissed, coming to stand in front of him, flanked by Avery and a few others. "You're not worthy of the House of Slytherin.

"Whereas you're so deserving," Draco drawled back, slowly raising his eyes to meet the crowd above him.

"We know where our loyalties lie, we're not blood traitors," Nott spat.

And that was it, that was just the spur Draco needed. He clenched his jaw and rose steadily to his feet, mentally preparing himself for what he was about to do. He grabbed his wand and quickly performed a charm to amplify his voice, then stepped out from behind the table, pushing past Nott and his cronies. "Can I please have everyone's attention?" he requested in cool, crisp tones and the chatter and bustle of the Great Hall died down and all eyes went to him, especially a pair of emerald green ones, which focused on him with more intensity and mystification than anyone else in the room. "I know there have been certain rumours flying around about me in the last few days," the blond continued. "And I just wanted to put an end to them once and for all. People have been saying that I've defected from Voldemort and that I now fight for the Light Side. Well…it's true," he said firmly, and a collective gasp rang through the entire student body. "So you can all stop speculating, and find something else to talk about," and with that he swept out of the Hall, feeling at least some of the tension leave his body.

Harry glanced about at the shocked faces around him, then up to the teacher's table. Severus raised an eyebrow and offered him an almost imperceptible shrug and a look that Harry took as 'you'd better go'. He took a deep breath then slipped away from the table as the frantic whispers started to circulate. He had no idea where the blond might have gone, but he was going to find out. Hazarding a guess, he made his way out the Grand Entrance and through to the orchard just off from the castle. As he pushed open the ancient wooden door he saw that his assumption had been correct. The blond was sitting hunched over on a bench, his head in his hands, fingers slipping through his blond locks. Wordlessly, Harry sat down beside Draco, and rested his back against the bench, placing a gentle hand on Draco's back.

The blond looked round and his features relaxed slightly when he saw Harry's soft smile. He went to speak but Harry beat him to it. "I'm sorry," he said softly, and at Draco's questioning look he said, "I was an idiot, a total idiot. I should never have thought for one minute that you weren't 100 percent sincere. I know what you went through this Christmas and I can't believe that I doubted you. I'm so sorry," he repeated, hoping that Draco would see how much he meant it. "You didn't have to do what you just did," he said, but Draco interrupted him

"Yes I did. And no," he continued, seeing Harry was about to say something. "It wasn't just for your benefit. I'm not ashamed of my decision, Harry. I'm not going to hide away from the fact that this is the path I've chosen. Now everyone knows, and I'm glad of it. Maybe once they've adjusted to the idea that I'm not a replica of my father, they can adjust to the idea of us," he said, straightening up and lightly placing a hand on Harry's cheek. "I know now isn't the time, but when it is, they'll at least have had time to get their heads around the idea that I'm on your side, and I'm not going anywhere," he said with a smile.

Harry felt himself melt a little at the sight. Draco never smiled. He smirked yes, he did that on a daily basis, but it was a rare occasion that Draco Malfoy actually genuinely smiled. He looked…beautiful was the only word Harry could possibly use to describe him, though he was well aware that that didn't even begin to cover it. His face seemed to light up somehow and he truly looked like some kind of fallen angel. He could never be a whole angel; there was too much in his features that betrayed his experiences of the world, his lack of innocence. But still, when he smiled, Harry felt the rest of the world just fade away. He leant in and gently kissed the palm that was resting on his cheek, then leant forward to capture Draco's lips.

The kiss was sweet, tender, an apology and forgiveness, a promise and an acceptance. Harry pulled Draco as close to him as was physically possible and breathed in the scent that was unmistakably Draco and that right at that moment, was all his. His arms went round Draco's neck and his fingers slid into the silky blond locks, ruffling them slightly. Draco's hands found the small of Harry's back, a spot where he knew the Gryffindor was highly sensitive, and sure enough, a soft moan escaped Harry's lips as Draco's skilled hands traced patterns against his skin as they slipped up underneath his shirt. Both were finding that unless they were granted this contact on a daily basis, it drove them mad. They needed to feel skin on skin, to crush each other's lips, to just feel each other. It was intoxicating, and it was all they could think about, all they needed, all they wanted, all that mattered. "Mm," Harry sighed as they broke apart. "If this is how we make up, we really need to fight more often," he said with a grin.

"I'll see what I can do," Draco replied with a smirk.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked, his fingers running through Draco's hair.

"Fine; I suppose I'll have to get used the whispers and looks that will no doubt follow me wherever I go for at least the next two weeks."

"And what about the other Slytherins?"

"I can handle them," Draco said soberly. "They know that if they try anything it's likely to be them that ends up in the Hospital Wing, not me. Don't worry, I can take of myself."

"I have no doubt of that, doesn't make me rest any easier though," Harry said, leaning back against Draco's chest, enveloping himself in Draco's firm hold.

"I'll be fine, I promise, I've got the great Harry Potter fighting my corner, how can I lose?" he asked softly, resting his chin on Harry's shoulder, gently kissing his long neck. "We're going to be alright."

And Harry couldn't help but smile at the 'we're'; it wasn't just the two of them on their own anymore; they had each other and if Harry had his way, that was how it would stay. He couldn't explain what was going on between them, but at that moment, he wasn't really sure he wanted to. Sometimes the best things were the ones to which no explanations could be offered.

**xXxXx**

"Wonderful," came the uncharacteristic praise from McGonagall as she passed among her animagus students, monitoring their progress. "I can see my words of warning about dedication did not go unheeded," she continued as she saw several of the students make some headway in their transformations. There were limbs protruding from a few students' bodies that obviously belonged to animals of some kind, and many of them were maintaining their changes for long periods of time.

Harry was holding out his foot, staring intently at it and repeating the incantation like a mantra in his head. Focusing all his energies, he aimed his wand at the limb and clearly said, "Bestia Converto". He practically held his breath as he waited for the transformation to take place and when it did, his eyes widened in amazement. As he stared down at his foot, his tanned, smooth skin transformed into silvery fur and his toes were replaced by a sturdy, heavy paw. "Whoa," he breathed as he stared down at this new extremity, going through his mind to see what kind of creature had paws like that.

"Cool mate, looks like a wolf," said Ron coming up behind him and peering down at the extended paw. "Mine turned into a paw too, but I think it might have been a dog, not too sure though. Hey, what did you two get?" he asked as Hermione and Ginny joined them.

"I think mine was a fox," Ginny said with a smirk. "How fitting."

Ron frowned and was about to say something, but Hermione put a hand on his shoulder and said, "I think mine's going to be a cat, at least that's what it looked like. I can't wait until we transform fully, what an experience!" she said enthusiastically, and her three friends simply shared an indulgent smile. "Malfoy's able to hold his transformation for a really long time, I saw him earlier. It looks like he's an eagle, fits I suppose," she finished with a shrug. "You know, he's been awfully quiet since he made that announcement in the Great Hall, I've hardly seen him except in lessons."

"I suppose he has a lot to deal with," Ginny said softly, her eyes flitting to the blond in question. "It can't be easy what he's done, I hope he has someone to help him."

Harry lowered his head to hide the smile that was threatening to break onto his lips. Recently he'd been 'helping' the blond rather a lot during their 'study sessions', actually they really did need to start doing some studying or they were going to fail spectacularly. Every spare moment they could get they were spending together, apparently unable to get enough of each other. Harry caught himself steeling glances at the blond wherever possible, and usually he found them being returned. He would have to dip his head and hide a foolish grin, hoping that those around him had not noticed.

The bell sounded and he brought himself back to earth, packing up his belongings and heading out of the door. As he was about to turn the corner that led to the Great Hall, he heard Draco's voice calling out, "Hey Potter, a word?" in crisp, sharp tones. He turned and faced the blond, then looked at his friends, giving them a nod and saying,

"It's fine, you guys go ahead, I'll see you in there."

They paused for a moment, eyeing Draco suspiciously, then saw the determined look on Harry's face and made their way to the Great Hall. Harry gave it a moment or two, making sure they were really gone before he moved up to Draco, his features relaxing from their previous hostile expression. "In here," he whispered, pulling him back into the Transfiguration classroom, which had been fully vacated. "I saw your transformation, it was impressive," he said, threading the fingers of his right hand through the fingers of Draco's left as he stood in front of him, leaning in close.

"Yours too," Draco replied.

"How have you been?" Harry asked, using his free hand to move a few stray strands of blond hair from the grey eyes that were observing him.

"So so," he answered with a shrug. "The others have backed off a bit since my little 'announcement', but I can't see that lasting for long. The other houses have just been giving me strange looks for most of the week and avoiding me like the plague. Maybe they think I've lost my mind," he said dryly. "And you?" he asked.

"Fine, missing you," he added with an almost shy smile, which Draco returned in the form of a slightly softened smirk. "I've hardly seen you at all this week."

"Well you've been busy being 'Boy Wonder', and I've been otherwise occupied with my new position of 'Blood Traitor Outcast', both occupations unfortunately are somewhat time-consuming," Draco replied.

"Then what the hell are we doing talking?" Harry asked with a grin, his lips descending on Draco's in a kiss that he had been dreaming about all day.

**xXxXx**

"Ugh this is hopeless! We've been trying all night and we've got nowhere!" Ginny said, throwing down her quill in frustration and running a hand through her dishevelled hair, glaring down at the potions books in front of her. She and Severus had been working tirelessly on the antidote for the new curse, but as yet had nothing to show for their relentless effort. "There has to be something that we're overlooking, something that will make it all fit into place," she said exasperatedly, so distracted with rifling through their notes that she didn't notice that Severus had risen from his seat and was now standing behind her, wearing an expression that very nearly resembled a smile.

"I think someone needs to relax," he whispered in her ear as his hands settled lightly on her shoulders, his long fingers feeling the tense muscles that lay there.

"Easier said than done," Ginny mumbled, though she leant back against him, her eyes willing themselves shut as he gently rubbed her aching neck. "What are we going to do?" she asked, relaxing into his touch.

"About what?"

"The damn antidote," she replied, then added softly, "Amongst other things."

His fingers stopped their ministrations and he came to sit in the seat before her, appraising her with one raised eyebrow. "And what might these other things be?"

She released a soft sigh and gently pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to ward off the oncoming headache. "Just…everything I suppose," she finally answered, her voice quiet, tired. "The curse, the antidote, the war," she listed, her eyes seeming to become more weary with each word. "We're poised on this brink, this precipice, just waiting for a force to come along and tip us all over into it. We've all had to grow up so quickly, relinquish our childhoods for the sake of our futures; futures that we're not even sure will exist. How are we all going to come through this?" she asked, her voice the ghost of a whisper and for the first time, Severus saw something in her eyes that frightened him more than Voldemort ever could – defeat.

"We will, we must," he said firmly, refusing to let her see that her worst fears were also his own. He couldn't show that he also held the same doubts and worries that she did, he couldn't admit that weakness.

She gave a small smile and said, "I never had you down for an optimist."

He snorted and replied, "And nor _am_ I, but I believe we can come through this, we've all been through far too much to give up now."

"I wasn't giving up," she said quietly, lowering her head. "Just…having a crisis of faith for a few moments," she said with a smile, looking up at him through her lashes.

"Crisis averted I trust?" he asked silkily. She nodded slowly and he said, "In that case I think it's probably time for you to return, or I might just have to give you detention for being out after curfew."

"You wouldn't dare," she challenged, her eyes sparkling as she leant in towards him. A mischievous smile graced her lips as her hand snaked up to rest on his chest, but before she could get any further, a loud noise came from the fireplace.

"It's the floo, and it's green," he said, looking paler than usual. "It'll be a fellow Death Eater," he said, grating the words out.

"Not a problem," Ginny said seriously and before he could ask her meaning, he found himself looking once again at Aurelia Anderson. He raised a disapproving eyebrow and was obviously on the brink of telling her that under no circumstances was he about to allow this, when Lucius Malfoy stepped out of the fireplace with a practised elegance, dusting off his finely cut robes.

"Severus, I do hope I'm not disturbing anything…" his languid drawl trailed off as he caught sight of 'Aurelia' poised gracefully at Severus' shoulder. "I _am_ sorry," he said with a slight leer in his voice. "If I'd have known you had such delightful company, I wouldn't have dreamt of interrupting your…evening."

"You're a terrible liar Lucius," said Severus flatly. "You know full well you would have been round here sooner."

"Should I leave?" he asked, sounding highly amused.

"I wouldn't hear of it," Ginny said, stepping forward. "Let me take your cloak," she said, extending her hand as he removed it from his shoulders and handed it to her. "May I fix you a drink?" she asked, heading over to the drinks cabinet, placing Lucius' cloak on the hat stand beside it. She poured three glasses of Firewhisky, pleased that she was managing to keep her hand steady and under control as she did so. She moved back round to the two men, handed Lucius his glass then pressed Severus' glass into his hand. She raised herself up and whispered, "Just play along," before gently biting his ear lobe playfully, making sure that Lucius got a full view of the spectacle. The look on Severus' face was one caught between lust and fury; she hoped the first of the two would win.

"Are you sure I'm not interrupting?" Lucius asked with a raised eyebrow.

Ginny let out a low, playful laugh and pressed herself to Severus' side, her left hand tracing a pattern up and down his arm. "Severus and I were just…enjoying a quiet evening in," she said, glancing up coyly at the man in question whose jaw was so firmly clenched, Ginny was sure it was about to break.

"I'm sure you were," said Lucius with a smirk, making himself at home by taking a seat on the plush leather couch, not bothering to wait for an invitation. Ginny felt Severus tense beside her but he slowly sank down onto the adjacent couch, Ginny sitting beside him.

"What can I do for you Lucius?" he asked with forced politeness, trying to decide whether or not it was a sensible idea to focus on the small hand that was surreptitiously easing away some of the tension in his neck.

"Actually," came the slow drawl, one that grated on both Severus and Ginny's senses. "I was rather hoping you could give me some information regarding my blood traitor son," the man said with a pronounced sneer.

"What exactly do you mean?" asked Severus, his mind trying to assist him as to how on earth he was supposed to deal with this situation. He saw the boy daily, he was his Head of House, there was no possible way he could deny knowledge of what he was up to. However, he couldn't betray Draco, there was no question of that. The difficult lay in how to protect him without endangering the both of them.

"Our Lord is most displeased with the events of this Yule, and he wishes to punish Draco appropriately. I have, of course, given my whole-hearted agreement to the plan. An alliance with the Dark Lord is not thrown away as lightly as that damn-fool boy did, and I'll not have my reputation, my name, disgraced in such a humiliating way. The boy must be taught a lesson and by Circe I'll see to it that he is," he finished, a cold, hard, implacable expression on his icy features.

Ginny stole a glance across at Severus, his mask was firmly in place; for once, she was glad of it. He was looking at Lucius with mild interest, nodding in acquiescence. "I agree he must be taught the…error of his ways," Severus began carefully. "But I warn you Lucius, I fear it will not be an easy task. As I understand it, the boy is heavily guarded by the old fool, and many others besides. It will be most difficult to get near him," Severus warned, hoping that it would be heeded.

"I'll worry about the logistics, Severus. I have eyes and ears in this place besides you you know," he said with a smile that was halfway to becoming a sneer. "Just let me know what he's up to. I want to know everything, _everything_," he reiterated. "He'll learn that the name of Malfoy is not so easily toyed with, that the past cannot be tossed aside so carelessly. Oh he'll learn, you mark my words," he said and Ginny hated the somewhat far-off look that crossed the man's face for a moment.

"Very well Lucius, I will see what I can do, but I make you no promises," Severus said, rising from his seat, hoping that the other man would take the hint. For a moment it looked as though he wouldn't, but then he also rose to his feet, eyeing Severus with a somewhat calculating expression. He looked as if he was about to say something, but obviously thought better of it as he turned to Ginny and said,

"It was once again my pleasure Miss Anderson."

"The pleasure was entirely mine," she purred, leaning in to place a kiss on his cheek, stopping herself from shuddering as she did so. "I hope to repeat it again soon," she added for good measure and was rewarded by an all too familiar glint in his eye.

"As do I," he drawled in return. He nodded to the silent Potions Master and stepped back into the floo, casting one appraising glance over Ginny before he swirled away back to the manor.

Ginny let out a somewhat relieved sigh and ran her hand through the unfamiliar hair she was sporting. She reached for her wand and performed the counter-charm, happy to be back in her own skin again. She looked across at Severus who had sunk back down onto the couch again, holding his head in his hands.

"What a bloody mess," she heard the half-muffled snarl.

She sat down next to him and slowly reached out a hand to his shoulder. He turned his head to look at her and she saw the worry and fatigue etched sharply into his features. "This might sound like an incredibly stupid question," she began softly. "But do you have any idea what you're going to do?"

"There are only so many things I _can _do," he answered. "Obviously I will warn Draco and the Headmaster, I also will keep a watchful eye on the boy."

"Why do I sense there's a 'but' in that sentence somewhere?" she asked.

"Lucius Malfoy is a very powerful man, you yourself know that. If he is so intent upon punishing Draco, I fear he would go to any lengths to ensure that it happened," he paused and frowned slightly, then continued. "There was something else that worried me too; Lucius said that he had eyes and ears in Hogwarts beyond myself. That is incredibly worrying," he said in a low voice, rising to his feet, beginning to pace. "We shall have to be more guarded," he said, his expression betraying that the wheels in his head were frantically turning, trying to find a solution to their current dilemma. "I'll speak to the headmaster first thing in the morning."

Ginny nodded and said, "I hope he can find a way to protect Draco. Merlin knows, Harry won't be very happy if anything happens to him."

"How did you…" Severus began, but stopped when he saw Ginny's triumphant smile.

"I didn't, but you've just confirmed it!" she said with a self-satisfied smirk.

"You should have been in Slytherin," he growled.

"I take that as the highest compliment," she said softly, looping her arms round his neck, pleased when she felt his hands settle about her waist. "Though some would say I've had the benefit of learning from the master," she said with a raised eyebrow.

"And I would say that that is complete nonsense," he returned dryly. "Merlin knows my influence had nothing to do with it!"

She laughed and said, "I don't think that's entirely fair, you have to take some of the blame, or some of the credit, depending on how you look at it. Anyway, I should go, or I'll end up with a month's worth of detentions. Then again, if _you_ were overseeing them I might not mind so much!" she said with a smile. "Try and get some sleep, there's nothing you can do tonight," she finished gently, knowing that the issue would be at the forefront of his mind. "Goodnight…" she whispered before rising up slightly to press a soft, chaste kiss to his lips. "…Professor," she added with a wink before disentangling herself, gathering her things and heading out of the dungeon, stopping only to throw one last glance over her shoulder.

"That girl will be the death of me," he muttered into the silence.

**xXxXx**

"What time is it?" came Draco's sleep-heavy voice from somewhere underneath Harry's chin. They were stretched out together on a sofa in the Room of Requirement, Draco's head resting on Harry's chest, his eyes involuntarily shutting every now and then.

"Half eleven," came the equally sleep-muffled response. "Not thinking of leaving so soon surely?" he asked in amusement.

"As much as the thought pains me, I have to," Draco replied, beginning to push himself up, mustering as much energy as his sleep-laden limbs would allow. Harry, however, had other plans, and as soon as Draco was almost in a sitting position, he felt his supporting arm being swiped out from underneath him, and he fell bodily onto the waiting perpetrator. Harry seemed to have recovered consciousness far quicker than his blond counterpart, for he managed to reverse their positions so he was grinning over the less-than-impressed Slytherin. "Potter," he began in a slow drawl. "I _would_ like to return to the Slytherin dorms with all my bones still in tact thank you very much. That little manoeuvre very nearly snapped my delicate pureblood arms," he said with a mock glare.

"Ah but you'll admit it was worth it just to be under me again," Harry replied with a somewhat evil smirk.

"I think I'm starting to get worried that your Slytherin side is beginning to develop far more than is healthy," Draco said with a raised eyebrow. "Now, are you going to let me up?"

"Don't want to," said Harry with a pretend pout. "I'm quite happy as I am thank you," he said, leaning down so his lips gently brushed the blond's. "Why should they get to have you?" he whispered, his lips sliding down to Draco's neck, pleased when he heard a soft intake of breath. "Stay," he said, his voice breathy and barely audible.

"You know I can't," Draco replied, the regret evident in his voice.

Harry raised his head once more to look Draco in the eyes, and Draco almost shivered from the intensity of the emerald orbs that seemed to have him fixed to the spot. "Do you know how difficult it is to have to watch you go back there? Do you know how hard it is to have to say goodbye to you and wonder how long it will be before I'll get to see you, to touch you again?" Harry asked, his voice still low and quiet.

"Of course I know," Draco replied, his voice matching Harry's. "Don't you think I feel the same way?" he asked, bringing a hand up to brush the hair out of Harry's eyes. His long fingers delicately traced the lightening scar beneath the strands, feeling Harry's breath hitch slightly as he did so. "You think I don't want to stay in here forever? To just forget that there's a world out there and a war to be fought? Believe me, there's nothing I'd rather, but you know we can't do that, that's not the life we get to have," he said quietly. "Maybe one day….I don't know…."

"One day?" Harry repeated softly, his pulse quickening from the insinuation he wasn't even sure that Draco was aware he had made. "You mean that you think we…" but he was unable to uncover the meaning behind Draco's words as the sound of footsteps became frighteningly apparent. "Quick, the cloak!" Harry hissed, and Draco's pulled the Invisibility Cloak up off the floor and threw it over them just as Filch came barging through the door.

"Well, well, what's been going on here then?" he asked the mangy cat that was threading itself round his ankles. He stepped into the room and sniffed the air, his tiny little eyes sweeping over the place, narrowing every now and then. Harry was trying to breathe as quietly as possible, but being in such close proximity to Draco was not helping the matter. He looked down into the grey eyes that he now knew so well and felt the familiar quickening of his pulse. Not caring that Filch was in the same room, hell Voldemort could have been standing over them and Harry would have told him to bugger off, he dipped his head and gently captured Draco's lips in a motion that was tender yet passionate all at once. Draco's hand slid lightly over Harry's neck then up into the mop of unruly black hair that he was sure he knew every follicle of by now. He tugged gently, pulling the boy closer to him, deepening the kiss as far as they dared with Filch being so close to them. He stifled a moan as Harry's tongue met his and he forced himself to stay quiet as Harry pressed closer to him, every inch of their skin connecting.

"We'll catch them next time, Mrs Norris, don't you worry," Filch said, sounding disappointed, bringing the two boys back to earth again. They reluctantly broke apart and watched silently as Filch and his pathetic cat ambled out, shutting the door behind them.

Their eyes returned to each other and Draco's lips lightly brushed Harry's before he said, "I really have to go now."

"I know," Harry said resignedly, shifting himself up to allow the blond up. "I just…" he trailed off, not sure how to say what he wanted.

"Just what?" Draco pressed.

"I…"he began, but something stopped him from saying what it was he really wanted to. "It's nothing, don't worry," he said, mentally kicking himself.

They got up and walked silently to the door, neither boy entirely sure what was happening between them, but fully aware that something had shifted. "I'll try and see you tomorrow," Draco whispered.

"I'll understand if you can't," Harry replied before kissing him lightly. "Goodnight," he said and headed off to the Gryffindor Tower.

Draco watched him go for a moment before shaking himself and heading off in his own direction. He was a little confused, his brain still slightly fuzzy from the night with his…lover. He still had to reconcile his mind to the fact that that was in fact what Harry now was…in a sense anyway. They still had yet to sleep together, but the way things were going, Draco couldn't see it being too far down the line. But it wasn't the physical part that his mind was so concerned with at that moment. It was more to do with the look that was in Harry's eyes whenever he looked at him, the same look he knew Harry must see in his eyes. He couldn't explain it; all he knew was that the world felt right when he was with Harry, things started to make sense where before they only been one great muddle of confusion. When he was lying next to Harry, their fingers entwined, it felt like nothing could touch him, like nothing existed outside of the haze that surrounded them. He didn't know how to explain it, he had never experienced anything like it before, and though on the one hand it scared him to death, on the other, he was more than willing to find out what it meant.

He had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't hear the footsteps behind him, nor did he expect the blow that knocked him unconscious.

**xXxXx**

**AN: **Ok, now all you have to is press that little button that says 'Go', write a few words and I'll let you all know what happens to our favourite Slytherin ;-)


	16. The Pain of Waiting

**AN:** Hey guys, well nothing really new to say I don't think…oh wait! I remember now! If any of you can think of a better summary for this fic, please let me know, only I really don't like the way it is at the moment. Any suggestions are welcome :-)

Thanks as always to **XxRoGuExHeArTxX**, my one of a kind BETA, and don't worry about being a little late with the chappie darling!

Thanks to the people who reviewed anonymously and who I obviously can't use the review response thingy for, everyone else, you should have your replies!

Hope you like……

**xXxXx**

Harry was just about to make his way up to his room when he heard the portrait being flung open from the other end of the room. Turning swiftly, he saw Ginny running towards him, almost totally out of breath but a worried look on her flushed face.

"Harry," she practically wheezed out. "It's Draco, I found him unconscious in the Slytherin dungeons. I'd been working on the antidote and was just making my way back here when I saw him. I rushed to get Se…Professor Snape," she quickly corrected herself. "He's taken him to the Hospital Wing, but Harry...he was barely breathing," she finished, her eyes swimming with tears.

Knowing Ginny was not prone to dramatics, he shook himself slightly and asked, "What happened to him?"

"It looks as though he was attacked or something, I don't know," she replied, her breathing still a little harsh. "You'd better go," she said quietly.

Harry nodded mutely, his mind barely functioning under the overwhelming idea that he might possibly be about to lose Draco. His body suddenly kicked into action with that intolerable thought and he found himself running out of the Tower and up to the Hospital Wing as fast as he could, considering it felt as though his knees were about to give way beneath him. He shoved open the doors and rushed inside, heading straight to the bed he saw his father standing over.

It was all he could to hold back a gasp upon seeing the Slytherin. His blond hair was practically red, covered in thick, sticky blood. The source of this, Harry saw, was from a vicious-looking wound just above Draco's right temple that was still glistening sickly. His left eye was swollen shut, his cheeks were mottled with bruises and cuts and his lip was split. Harry couldn't see, but he was fairly certain that there would be more under Draco's robes, for they were torn and filthy, the Slytherin crest ripped clean off. He hardly recognised the boy whom he had been kissing barely half an hour ago.

He sank to his knees beside the bed and carefully, delicately raised a hand to touch Draco's cheek, grimacing at how the boy's beautiful, flawless skin had been so brutally damaged. "What happened?" he asked in a choked whisper, not allowing his eyes to leave Draco's fragile, unconscious form.

"I don't know," Severus answered quietly. "Miss Weasley found him on her way back to Gryffindor. She came to get me and I brought him up here. He was unconscious when he was found. It seems clear that he has several broken bones, and serious head trauma; Pomfrey's getting the necessary things together."

"Is he…will he be alright?" Harry asked, his fingers seeking out Draco's own, grasping them as tightly as he dared.

"I…I don't know, Harry. We'll do all we can, I promise you that," Severus replied, placing a hand on the distraught boy's shoulder.

"Mr Potter! What in Merlin's name are you doing here?" came Pomfrey's shrill voice as she emerged from the supply cabinet, arms laden. "I don't know what you think you're doing, but I must ask you to leave," she said curtly.

Harry never removed his eyes from the still, unmoving form in front of him, merely set his jaw and said in a voice that offered no room whatsoever for compromise, "I'm staying."

"Mr Potter, I really must insist –"

"Poppy, let the boy be," Severus said quietly and Harry couldn't help but let a bitter little smile play about his lips at the huff of indignation that followed.

She placed all the medical equipment on the table beside Draco's bed and removed her wand from her apron pocket. Pointing at his ribs she said loudly and firmly, 'Redintegro,' and Harry could have sworn he heard the bones re-set themselves. Next, she healed his ankle and, Harry grimaced to see it, his fingers. The bastards had actually broken his fingers. Harry's jaw was clenched so tightly with suppressed rage and pain that it was actually beginning to hurt. As he watched Madame Pomfrey carefully clean away all the blood and administer healing spell after healing spell, he felt himself overcome with so many different emotions he was rather glad he was already on the floor, because he was sure that had he been standing, his legs surely would not have been able to support him.

He felt sick, physically, painfully sick. Seeing Draco's fragile, beaten form, lying there so helplessly, he was filled with worry, anger, fear and anything that could work its way into his system. He looked at the pale face, which now looked slightly better after Madame Pomfrey had cleaned the wounds and removed much of the blood, all he wanted to do was kiss every single hurt away. He wanted so badly to just gather the boy up in his arms and hold him so tightly that nobody would ever be able to get near him again; he would shield him from the whole world, from everything.

"I've done what I can tonight," came Madam Pomfrey's voice, slicing through his thoughts. "I'm afraid it'll be touch and go for a while, I honestly can't say at this point how he will be," she said quietly and Harry felt tears forming in his eyes. "Now Mr Potter, I really think you ought to – "

"I'm not going anywhere," he replied, slowly and determinedly, enunciating each word carefully.

Madam Pomfrey was clearly confused, unsurprisingly given the fact that she still believed the two were archrivals and would quite gladly have watched the other die without offering the slightest shred of help. Severus motioned to her to step aside with him for a moment and said, "Just let him stay tonight, I highly doubt there's any way on this earth you'll get him to move anyway."

"Oh very well, but this is all highly irregular!" she said, quite obviously put out. "Alright Potter, you can stay, but I warn you…"

But her words just drifted off into the background. The only thing Harry was focused on, was the boy in front of him, who, despite all the bruises, cuts and ghastly pale pallor, Harry still thought was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

**xXxXx**

It was half three in the morning, and one of the very few people still awake, was Harry Potter. He was sitting in a chair by Draco's bedside, one hand entwined with Draco's own, the other smoothing the soft hair away from Draco's face, a gesture that the Gryffindor found oddly comforting at that moment.

"Please Drake," he whispered to the still form. "Please, please be ok. You have to be. Do you know why?" he asked. "It's because I don't know what I'd do if I lost you," this was followed by an exasperated sigh, then, "Dammit I should have told you this earlier when I had the chance. Merlin I wanted to, so, so badly, but I was just too scared. I didn't know how you'd react, or if I'd just spoil things and I just don't think I could have taken it if I'd have told you and you hadn't felt the same way," he said, somewhat incoherently. "But I'm telling you now, and that's what matters, and I promise that when you wake up, I'll tell you every chance I get," he said a little shakily and took one deep breath before he made his next confession. "See, the thing is, I love you. Quite a lot, actually. So you understand, it just wouldn't be fair of you not to be alright. I need you to be Drake, I need you with me, Merlin I just need you! I wish you could hear me right now, I wish I could see the look in your eyes, I wish I could know if you felt the same way too," he said, tears starting to fall. He buried his head in the crook of Draco's neck, holding the boy as gently as possible so as not to cause any further damage. "I love you," he repeated into the silence, not even noticing the tears that were making tracks down his face.

A noise from the doorway brought him back to himself and he sat up, hastily brushing away the tears. "What are you doing here?" he asked in a whisper as he saw his father appear, coming to sit on the other side of the bed.

"I came to see how the both of you were doing," he answered. "You really should try and get some sleep you know."

"I can't sleep, I won't sleep until I know he's going to be alright," Harry said, almost fiercely.

"It's true then," Severus said softly. At Harry's questioning look he added, "What you said to him just now, that you love him. I couldn't help overhearing," he said, not the slightest trace of an apology in his voice.

"Yes," Harry said, his voice barely audible. "It's true. And it's killing me right now," he said in a choked voice. "What am I going to do if he doesn't – "

"You can't think like that," Severus said firmly. "Everyone's doing all they can to ensure his full recovery, something I am fully confident will happen," he said, hoping he sounded more convincing than he felt.

"Do you know who did it?" Harry asked, his voice taking on a bitter edge.

Severus shook his head and said, "The Headmaster has, of course, been informed and is dealing with the situation as best as is possible in such a situation. I should tell you though…" he said, hesitating, pondering the sense in telling Harry of the threat of Lucius Malfoy.

"Go on," Harry pressed.

"Lucius is after his blood," Severus said quietly. "He visited me in my quarters earlier this evening, only a short while before it must have happened I suppose. He asked me to pass on any information I had regarding Draco, as both he and Voldemort are of the opinion that Draco must be well and truly punished for his refusal to join them. Lucius said that he has eyes and ears in this school beyond myself, and I would hazard a guess that those 'eyes and ears' are the ones responsible for tonight's events. Of course, he didn't give any names, but I have a fair idea of the pupils involved. Draco will be in very serious danger from them," he said seriously and Harry nodded in agreement.

"I know," he said. "Which is why I want him moved from the Slytherin dungeons, I don't want him down there anymore, Merlin knows what they'll do to him next time, if he even survives this time!" Harry said, almost on the verge of hysterics. "I want him moved to the Tower, I want him safe, where I can be with him. They'll kill him if he goes back there," he whispered, his voice desperate, pleading. "You can't send him back, I won't let you," he said, sounding utterly broken.

"Harry you're going to work yourself into a state," said Severus, moving round the other side of the bed to perch on the edge and take his son by the shoulders. "I promise you, we will sort all this out. Right now you're tired, upset and worried, no state to be thinking about doing anything. But Draco will be safe, whatever happens, we will make sure that Draco is protected." Harry gave a half-hearted nod, and Severus could tell that he didn't believe what he was being told. "I have to get back, are you sure you want to stay?" Harry gave him a look that clearly said 'what do you think?' and Severus nodded. "Very well, but at least try and get some sleep up here. You'll be no use to Draco if you exhaust yourself. I'll return first thing in the morning," he said, getting up and heading for the door.

The last thing he heard was a soft, "Goodnight Dad," before he closed the doors behind him, leaving the two boys alone.

**xXxXx**

"Any change?" Ginny asked when Severus returned to his rooms.

"None, and Harry's beside himself," Severus said, loosening his outer robe and throwing it aside on the chair. "He's terrified that Draco won't pull through and to be honest, I'm rather uneasy about it myself," he admitted, sitting down on the sofa next to her.

"You don't think he'll be alright?" Ginny questioned worriedly.

"I really don't know," Severus replied, shaking his head. "He was so badly beaten, and Pomfrey says that all we can do is wait and see, one way or another. It's out of our hands now. All we can do is hope," he finished quietly. Turning his head to look at her, he said, "You shouldn't still be here."

She smiled and replied, "I know, but I won't be missed. No one knows I'm here; it's alright. I didn't want to go back anyway, not tonight."

He looked at her for a moment, his expression, as usual, unreadable, then held his arm out, an open invitation for her to rest against him. She gave him a soft smile then did so, her cheek resting against the soft linen of his shirt. She let out a gentle sigh and allowed herself what she considered the vulnerable gesture of nestling closer to him, some of the night's earlier tension leaving her body. They had never really simply sat like this in the quiet of each other's company. It felt more…well…intimate than their relationship had ever before. She supposed that had to be attributed to the fact that the relationship was so clandestine, only being able to see each other on the odd occasion, and even then having to use extreme care that no one saw them.

There had been one occasion, about a week ago, when she had snuck down to the dungeons to meet him, frustrated at not having had the chance to see him once in three days apart from in one pathetic lesson in which the only thing she got was eye contact. They had been in the classroom, a careless mistake on both their parts to have conducted the meeting where anyone could have walked in, but when she had arrived, their stealth had simply seemed to go out of the window. They had just pulled apart from a rather ardent kiss when there was a knock at the door, closely followed by Harry's entrance. Luckily they had separated just in time, but Ginny knew they must have both looked slightly flushed and even slightly out of breath. But Harry had said nothing, merely saying a pleasant, 'Oh hi, sorry, I didn't realise you were working, do you want me to come back later?', to which they had of course said no, Ginny bidding them a goodnight and retreating to her room, to the same situation she had been in barely half an hour prior.

But now, sitting like this, with his arm tightly around her, his head resting atop her own, it actually felt right, better maybe than all the passionate moments they had shared when they had stolen the opportunity. This felt real, not just something that was a passing folly or a bit of fun, this, to Ginny, was better than all of it. In all her experiences, she had never been with someone who had just held her, someone she could slide in next to and soak up their warmth. It just felt right, and she wasn't about to apologise for that.

"I don't want you coming down here on your own anymore," he said, breaking the comfortable silence.

She shifted so she could look up at him and said with a frown, "What do you mean?"

"It isn't safe, Ginny. Draco's been beaten to within an inch of his life, and Nott's already threatened you, do you really think he won't try again? Especially if he's under Lucius's control," he added darkly. "I'm going to speak with Albus to see if there's a possibility of connecting the floo from here to the Great Hall or somewhere like that. It would only be for your use, and Harry and Draco's of course, but at least I'd know that you were safe. Albus knows we're working together on the potion, he'll understand that I still need your help and so I wish you to arrive preferably in one piece. I just don't want you walking around these dungeons at night, Merlin knows what could happen to you, it's too big a risk to take," he said.

"You do realise of course," she began slowly. "That if you connected the floo somewhere accessible, then I could come and see you more regularly."

"I suppose that's a side effect I shall just have to bear," he replied with a pained expression. She went to give him a gentle hit, but he caught her wrist and said, "Now now, I shall have to take house points if you're going to strike a member of staff."

"Go on," she teased. "I dare you."

"On second thoughts, I might have a better idea," he said, lowering his head until their lips met.

"Mm," she murmured. "Much better idea."

**xXxXx**

Harry felt himself being roughly shaken awake, and he opened bleary, sore eyes to see Madame Pomfrey standing over him, looking rather disapproving but also, thankfully, sympathetic. "Potter you've been here all night, I really must insist that you go and get some sleep. A good wash and some food inside you wouldn't hurt either," she added reproachfully. "There's nothing you can do for him, and I'm sure he won't thank you for making yourself ill."

"Please," Harry said in a small voice. "I just want to stay with him. I want to be here when he wakes up."

"That might not be for days yet, Potter," she replied a little more gently. "Just go and get some sleep, then you can come back and sit with him again. I'm afraid this isn't a suggestion, Mr Potter, I'm giving you no choice," she said, pulling him out of the chair.

Defeated and too tired to argue he said, "Just promise me one thing; please, please send for me if he wakes up and I'm not here."

She seemed to consider this for a moment then gave a curt nod and said, "Very well, I promise. Now off! And do try and get some sleep, you're no use to anyone in this state!"

And with that, she turned on her heel and retreated to her office. Harry cast a look at Draco and said, "I'm coming back, I promise, as soon as she'll let me I'll be right by your side again."

He stumbled through the corridors, hardly aware of where he was, simply letting his feet guide him in the direction that was so familiar to them. He was exhausted, both physically and emotionally, and he didn't know how he was going to deal with the whole situation. Not only was there Draco to think about, and he, of course, was taking top priority in Harry's mind, but there was everyone else to consider. They would all know by now that he had spent the entire night in the Hospital Wing at Draco Malfoy's side. They would see the circles under his eyes, the worry etched so plainly on his face. He was in for some serious explaining, but right then, he just couldn't bring himself to care. He'd deal with it all as and when it happened, and if he had to do so alone, well, so be it.

He trudged up the steps and stopped outside the portrait hole, hesitating briefly to remember the password. "Um…Weasley's Wizard Wheezes," he finally managed after a few moments of thought.

"Well well dearie, I'd get in a few early night if I were you," the Fat Lady advised as he passed through into the Gryffindor common room. A whole sea of faces turned to look at him as he entered and an eerie silence fell over the whole room as every single pair of eyes fell upon him. He knew how awful he must look, how empty and dead his eyes were, how dishevelled and messy he looked, but he simply paused for a second, then shifted off to the right to the staircase that led up to his room.

Before he could start the ascent, Ron appeared in front of him and said, obviously worried, "What's going on mate?"

Harry merely shook his head and said, "Not now, Ron. Later, I promise I'll tell you…everything…later." He stepped around his friend and carried on his way up to his room. Once inside, he leant back against the door and took in a deep breath. Sinking to the floor, he closed his eyes and brought his knees up tightly to his chest and began to cry, harsh, painful, silent sobs that racked his entire body. He felt so utterly broken, and there was no one who could fix him.

**xXxXx**

"He's been in there for ages, don't you think we should go and see if he's alright?" Ron asked, pacing in front of the fireplace in the common room. Most of the others and gone off, the excitement temporarily over.

"I think we should just leave him until he's ready to come down," Hermione replied. "And when he does," she continued. "No jumping on him for answers. There are obviously things that he has to tell us, but he'll tell us on his own terms, not because we forced it out of him."

"I'm not an idiot," Ron replied, slightly miffed that she thought he was simply going to bug Harry for information the second he appeared. "I just want to know if he's alright and what the hell this whole situation is all about."

"I'll tell you then," came a voice from the stairway, and both looked up to find Harry standing there, looking slightly better than before, but that really wasn't saying much. He moved round and came and sat next to Hermione on the sofa, gesturing for Ron to do the same. He took a deep breath and ran his hands through his limp hair a couple of times before saying, "There are some things that I need to tell you, things that I should have told you ages ago, but I just couldn't. As cliché as it sounds, there was just never a right time, plus I didn't really have the slightest clue how the hell I'd do it." He paused for a second, and was grateful that both of his friends stayed silent, as he wasn't sure he would have been able to continue had one of them spoken. "It's difficult to know where to start, so much has happened that it makes for a rather complicated story."

"I suppose I should begin by telling you about the events of the Christmas holidays. I…I found out something, about my parentage," he said slowly. "You see, the thing is," he continued, taking a deep breath, preparing himself for what he was about to reveal. "James and Lily Potter were not my real parents. I found out that my real mother…died…died in an attack on my family's home, one that was intended to kill me. My father, however, is alive," he said and observed the shocked looks that graced his friends' faces. He could only imagine what they were going to look like in a few seconds. "He's at this school actually…"

"Harry, who?" Hermione asked softly, her expression slightly apprehensive, as was Ron's.

Harry took another deep breath and said in a strong unwavering voice, "Professor Snape." Both of them emitted noises of shock and disbelief, but before either of them could say anything, Harry continued, "I know it's difficult to take in, believe me, I had a hard enough time with it myself, but he's really not the man you think he is, I promise you he isn't. He just has to put on a show that's all, to protect me…and himself. He takes no pleasure in it I assure you. I've spent a lot more time with him recently and I've been able to really get to know him. After all these years…I finally get to have a father," he said with a sad smile.

Both their expressions had softened upon hearing that and Hermione asked, "But, how is it possible? And why did you end up with the Potters?"

"That is a long and complicated story. I'll just say that it all has to do with the Circle of the Fianna, knowing you Hermione you'll already know what that is, and if you don't you'll study every book until you do, so hopefully I can rely on that to get you filled in all those details, I'm just not up to explaining it all at the moment," he said tiredly.

"Why didn't you tell us before mate? This is huge, I mean Snape – your father! You shouldn't have to have gone through that on your own," Ron said, still looking thoroughly shocked by the information he had just been given.

"Well, that's where the second part of my explanation comes in, I wasn't alone."

"How do you mean?" asked Ron, frowning.

"Well…over the holidays, I…um…had a visitor, a blond, Slytherin visitor to be precise," Harry said, and felt the apprehension well inside him as he saw Ron's eyes narrow. "Please, before you say anything, just hear me out," he pleaded. "He arrived at my door bloodied and beaten and in such a terrible state. He begged me to help him, so I did, I healed him and put him up in my room and took care of him. When he was well enough, and after a little coaxing, he told me that it was his father and his fellow Death Eaters who had beaten him so badly."

"That's awful," Hermione said quietly.

Harry nodded and elaborated, "He'd refused to join them and so they beat him to within an inch of his life and left him in the dungeons of Malfoy Manor. They were going to return and finish the job properly, only they didn't get the chance. Draco escaped and managed to find his way here, to me. When he was better he went to talk to Da…Professor Snape and then to Dumbledore, and he agreed to join our side. So you see, there's no possible way you can doubt him, he's completely sincere and he's gone through more than anyone should have to cope with."

"That's not all there is to it though, is it Harry?" Hermione pressed.

He shook his head, bit his lip then said, "We…became close over the holidays, living so closely with someone I suppose it's hard not to."

"What do you mean 'close'?" asked Ron, his eyes narrowed.

"I mean…well I mean we formed a relationship, we 'got together' if you like. I didn't plan on it, it just…happened. I mean, how do you stop something like that? You can't, you don't have a choice in the matter. We've been seeing each other secretly since term started, every chance we could get in fact. I've been so worried about him having to be in those dungeons with people who know that he's joined our side, people who view him as a blood traitor. Last night it seems my worries were justified. As you probably know by now I spent the whole night at Draco's bedside. He was beaten, so badly that he still hasn't regained consciousness and Madame Pomfrey says that she doesn't know if he's going to come through it or not," Harry said in a strangled voice, heavy with emotion.

"Oh Harry I'm so sorry," said Hermione, placing her hand over his. "But I'm sure they'll do all they can to make sure he's alright, I mean, Madame Pomfrey's one of the best medi-witches there is, and Professor Snape can make any number of healing potions. He'll pull through, you'll see," she said, hoping that she sounded encouraging and convincing. "Harry can ask you something?" she asked, and Harry gave a small nod in return. "How do you feel about him?" she asked softly.

He didn't even pause to consider his answer, just answered firmly and without apology, "I love him. I have for a while, I just hadn't really realised it. I haven't told him, unless you count last night in the Hospital Wing, but I suppose that doesn't really count at all. I should have told him though, should have told him the moment I felt it," he said, letting his gaze fall upon the fire, staring morosely into it.

"And, does he feel the same way about you?" she asked.

"I don't know," Harry replied. "I think so, I hope so. There's just something in his eyes when he looks at me, I don't know, maybe I'm just reading too much into it, but yes, I think I feels the same way."

"Then how could we condemn it?" she asked gently.

He looked back to her and saw that she was smiling at him, a subtle, calm acceptance of the situation. He looked over to Ron, who was still looking somewhat floundered by the whole thing and asked, "And you? What do you think?"

"What do I think?" he echoed. "I think this whole situation is one of the craziest you've been in yet is what I think!" he replied. "I think if something bizarre or strange or completely out of this world is going to happen, it'll happen to you! I mean, Severus Snape is your father, and Draco Malfoy is your…boyfriend! I'm fairly convinced the world has turned on its head only no one told me! But," he said, his voice calmer, much to Harry's relief. "Though I can't exactly pretend I like the situation one little bit…you know you'll always have my support," he finished seriously and Harry gave him a relieved smile. "But don't think I'm going to start having nice little chats with the bastard…either bastard," he added with a roll of his eyes.

"Thank you guys," Harry said quietly. "Thank you for making this so much easier than I thought it was going to be."

"What else would you expect?" Hermione answered with a teasing edge to her voice.

Harry gave her a warm smile and said, "Nothing, I should know better by now. Look, I hope you guys don't mind, but I really should get back to the Hospital Wing, I don't want to leave Draco alone for too long," he said, getting up from the sofa. "I know it's a bit shitty to just drop this on you and take off but – "

"It's ok, Harry, you don't have to explain, just go," Hermione said.

He flashed them both a grateful smile then took off, anxious to be back at Draco's side.

"Well…that was…well…" said Ron, still looking thoroughly shell-shocked. "That was an awful lot of information to receive in such a short space of time. And what information it was!"

"Indeed," Hermione replied, turning to face her boyfriend. "That boy's life will never be simple will it?" she asked.

"Somehow, I highly doubt it."

**xXxXx**

When Harry had arrived back at the Infirmary after only being gone an hour and a half, Madame Pomfrey had given him a disapproving, raised an eyebrow then shook her head and said, "Oh very well," and huffed off to attend to other business. He had stayed at Draco's side all day and well into the night and had yet to see any signs that he was going to wake up and it was worrying him greatly. The only thing that he found alleviated some of the worry and tension slightly, was to talk, so that was just what he was doing.

"You know, Drake, I was thinking," he said, his right hand clutching Draco's left, he hadn't let go once. "When we leave here we should…get a place together. I mean, I have no desire to go back to the Dursleys, and after we leave, no one can make me, and I'm sure you won't be returning home, so we'll both need somewhere to live. It doesn't have to be anywhere fancy…or…well if you want it to be then it will be. Maybe somewhere out in the country, somewhere where we can just be left alone, allowed to live our lives. Anyway, it won't matter where it is I suppose, just as long as the address has both our names on it," he said with a soft smile, gazing down at their entwined hands. "We can decorate it any way you want, even if that means the whole house is a shrine to Slytherin! I won't care, honestly, it'll all be your choice and I won't say a word against any decision you make. Maybe we could find some run-down old place and do it up together. Oh I know that sounds dreadfully romantic and we'll probably just end getting frustrated with it and wishing the whole place would just fall down and have done with it," he rambled. "But it would be _our_ place and that would be all that mattered. Just ours…"

"Can we get a dog?"

"Yes we can get a…" his head snapped up and he saw Draco looking down at him, smiling though looking thoroughly groggy. "Draco! Draco you're awake thank Merlin!" he practically shouted and jumped up out of his seat and leant over the blond, planting a solid kiss on his lips.

"You want to be a bit less enthusiastic there Harry? I'm a little sore and all," said Draco hoarsely.

"Oh I'm sorry! It's just…I just…you're alright! I…I was so worried and I thought…" he babbled, hardly able to express his relief and happiness at seeing the blond awake again. "Madame Pomfrey! Come quick, he's awake! He's alright!" he shouted, unable to stop a grin from plastering itself across his face.

"Mr Potter what on earth is all this shouting about? I mean it really isn't – oh! Mr Malfoy!" she exclaimed upon seeing Draco with his eyes open, watching the scene with some amusement. "Well, well, well, I should have known that you wouldn't allow anything to keep you down. How are you feeling then?" she asked.

"Sore," he replied. "And a bit sick, I've felt better," he said.

"Well I can give you something for the pain, and the sickness once Severus finishes brewing a few bits and pieces. Now you just lie back and I'll bring you something in a moment. Mr Potter, please try and keep from sending the poor boy back into a coma with your enthusiasm," she said dryly before striding off to the storeroom.

He stuck his tongue out at her retreating back, than sat back down in the chair next to Draco's bed, leaning as far forward as possible without falling off. He took the blond's hand once more and said, "You have no idea how worried I've been. Merlin Draco I thought you weren't going to make it."

"You should have known better than that," he replied with a smirk. "Takes more than a second rate beating to finish me off! Still, what bloody awful luck I have hey? Two severe beatings within the space of what? a month and a half? Kind of takes the piss really, doesn't it?"

Harry smiled and said affectionately, "You fool." Then more seriously, he asked, "Do you know who it was?"

Draco shook his head and said, "No, I didn't get a chance to see them, they came from behind, but I can hazard a guess."

"Nott?"

"Most probably, along with a couple of others. I think there were at least three, but I couldn't really say for sure. It all happened so quickly and it was dark, and I was so wrapped in my thoughts about…well I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I just didn't really know what was happening. How did I end up in here anyway?"

"Ginny found you on her way back from working with Dad. She went to get him and then he brought you up here. She came to get me and I came up here as fast I could and stayed with you until Pomfrey kicked me out in the morning. Of course, I didn't stay away long, she wasn't too impressed," he said with a grin. "But if she thought I was going to leave for any longer than was strictly necessary, she's sadly deluded," he said, to which Draco smiled and said,

"So you were my guardian angel watching over me were you?"

"Something like that," Harry replied with a smirk. "It was the worst twenty-four hours of my entire life, I thought I was going to lose you," he said, the smirk fading, and his voice lowering.

"Can't get rid of me that easily, Potter," Draco replied, squeezing Harry's hand. "You should know that by now. I'm not going anywhere."

Harry smiled and said, "Well that's good thing, because…well I told you something when you were lying there. I knew you couldn't hear me but I needed to say it anyway. Well, you can hear me so there's something I need to say to you. You see…"

"Now then Mr Malfoy," said Madame Pomfrey, emerging through the curtain with a bottle of something vile looking in her hand. "Drink this down, it'll help with the pain."

Harry could have killed her. The one moment when he was about to tell Draco exactly how he felt about him and he was interrupted! He was sure the great romantic heroes of literature and the movies never had that problem. To hell with it, no one had that problem except him! Ok, well maybe he was being a little stupid, but it definitely felt that way at that moment. He glared up at her, but she failed to notice, simply watched Draco swig down the obviously disgusting potion, then took the empty vial from his hand saying, "I'll give you another one in two hour's time. Call if you need anything."

Harry gritted his teeth and continued to glare at them as she left them alone. Oh well, maybe she had done him a favour, he mused. After all, the Hospital Wing was hardly the most romantic of places to confess one's love, maybe he would leave it until Draco was better and when they could be somewhere more private, more intimate. The place was bound to be full of people traipsing in and out once they all heard of Draco's recovery anyway, so it was probably not the best time.

"So, what was it you wanted to tell me?" asked Draco.

"Hm?" he said, turning back to face him. "Oh, nothing, nothing important, it can wait till another time. Now, is there anything I can get you? Anything you need? Just say the word, I'm yours to command!"

"I think I like the sound of that," Draco said with a wicked smile. "Hm, all I want now is a nice, warm, gorgeous guy to snuggle up to make me feel better…but I suppose you'll have to do, so come here," he said, moving along in the bed, making room for Harry.

"Cheeky," he said, sliding in next to the blond and carefully, still mindful of Draco's injuries, wrapping his arms around the slender frame. He dropped a kiss on the top of head and said, "If they every come near you again, I'll kill them, and that's a promise."

"They're not worth it, love," said Draco, his voice sounding tired. "Just leave it, they're nothing to do with us anyway, just forget about them."

And for the time being, that's exactly what he had done. His mind was much too busy on the fact that Draco had just called him 'love'. Draco had never used any endearments before, he just wasn't the type, but this was something more than just an endearment, this was the confirmation that Harry needed to tell Draco just how he felt, knowing that he would receive the same in return. For Draco Malfoy never said anything he didn't mean.

**xXxXx**

**AN:** Soo? What do we all think? All comments welcome!


	17. Sweet Joys

**AN: **Ok, I'm going to have to give you a little bit of a warning before you read this chapter: it's so fluffy it could be candyfloss! Lol, hopefully you'll still want to read it, but just in case you really, really can't stand fluff, you'll want to head back now!

Thanks as always to my one-of-a-kind BETA **XxRoGuExHeArTxX**, who managed to get this chapter to me, even though her life is mad hectic atm, she's a star, love you hun!

Anyways, hope you enjoy, remember, turn back now if you don't want to choke on the fluff!

**xXxXx**

"You've got to admit, they look good together," said Remus as he and Severus stood looking down with some amusement at Harry and Draco, who were cuddled up fast asleep in Draco's hospital bed.

"I'm sure they'd look better if Draco's face wasn't covered in bruises," Severus answered wryly.

"Well, true," Remus answered, taking a seat next to the bed, Severus doing the same. "At least he's out of danger. Well…in a way I suppose. There's still the matter of the Slytherins to contend with, Lucius's 'eyes and ears'. They pose a grave threat," he said, tapping his chin with his finger thoughtfully.

"Yes, Lupin, that _is_ rather stating the obvious," said Severus, rolling his eyes. He looked at Harry and had to hide the rather affectionate smile that was battling to make its way onto his lips. Being a father, he decided, was making him entirely too soft. "We're just going to have to be careful, all of us. If any of them suspect for one moment that my true allegiance doesn't lie with Voldemort, that'll be it. And Merlin forbid they ever find out that Harry's mine. What a bloody disaster," he growled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"What's going to happen to Draco?" asked Remus. "He can't be allowed to stay in the dungeons, they'll kill him for sure."

"I don't know. Harry wants him to go and live in the Gryffindor quarters, but I don't know if it would be allowed, or if it would work at all. A Malfoy in with the Gryffindors?" he said and Remus gave a light chuckle.

"Still, maybe it would be best. I mean, he'd have a better chance of being safe there than anywhere. I know the others wouldn't like it, but they'd just have to get used to it, and I'm sure they would. Especially if Harry has anything to do with it! I wouldn't rule the idea out just yet, it might the best one we have."

Severus gave a small shrug, still looking at the two sleeping boys. Remus had been right; they did look good together, they just seemed to go together, they fit somehow. He couldn't help but wonder…but no, it would surely be impossible. Still, what other explanation was there? They were so together and seemed unable to be apart. Perhaps, just perhaps, his suspicious were founded. He couldn't see any other explanation, everything seemed to lead him to the same conclusion. Things could be about to get very complicated indeed.

**xXxXx**

"I see you managed to tear yourself away from Draco's side long enough to come and see me then," said Severus with a hint of amusement as Harry entered his office.

"Don't think I'm staying long," he warned, taking the offered seat. "I told him I'd be right back and I intend to be."

"Can't be apart for more than a few seconds now, is that it?" Severus teased.

"Not unless absolutely necessary," Harry returned, pulling a face at his father in response to the teasing. "Now, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Blunt as usual," Severus said with an eye roll. "You know, displaying manners once in a while wouldn't kill you. Anyway, there _was_ something I wanted to talk you about; I've spoken with Albus regarding the current situation with Draco…and…he has agreed to allow Draco go in live in Gryffindor Tower. He feels it would probably be the safest option. You can stop looking so bloody over the moon for a second," Severus added, seeing the pure look of glee on his son's face. "He will_ not_ be staying in your room, he'll be given his own, though I'm sure it won't be used much," he muttered, much to Harry's dismayed embarrassment.

"Dad!" he protested. "I'd really rather you didn't talk about my love life like that, in fact at all! It's a little…disconcerting," he said with a mock shiver. "Obviously I wasn't expecting to be allowed to share the same room! I'm just so glad that I know he'll be safe and that he'll be with me, that's all I care about, really. Mind you, it'll be a fun experience explaining it to the others; a Slytherin in Gryffindor? I'm not sure how well that will go down," he said, echoing Severus' earlier thoughts.

"Well you don't have to worry about that, Minerva has already informed them. She simply said that in light of recent events, it was considered simply too dangerous for Draco to return to Slytherin. She told them that if they didn't just accept the new arrangement and get on with it, then they could always go and spend some time in the dungeons and see how well they fared," Severus explained, an amused smile playing about his lips. "I would have loved to have seen their faces," he added.

Harry chuckled. "I bet there were a few unhinged jaws," he said. "Oh well, one less thing to worry about then. As soon as he's better we can get him all settled in and things can maybe get back to normal again. At least we don't have to hide it now, which is something of a relief actually. I mean, I know at the moment it's only rumour and gossip, but we'll confirm it one way or another!" he said with a grin.

"Please," said Severus. "Spare me whatever little display you're concocting in your mind at the moment. I'm sure it's nothing a father would want to know of his son."

"Speaking of fathers and sons," Harry began. "I um, I told Ron and Hermione…well, everything. They took it pretty well considering, but I still think they found it a bit much to contend with, and really, who can blame them? Still, at least they know now and there are no more secrets between us. It started to weigh a bit heavy on the mind after time really," he said, giving Severus a half smile.

"Indeed," Severus agreed, thinking on his own little secret regarding a certain female student. He couldn't see anyone taking that 'pretty well', not under any circumstances. He had considered ending it, but when it came down it, he found he just couldn't. He cared for Ginny, more than he had allowed himself to care for anyone in a long time. She made him feel alive again, made him feel worth something. He had never forgotten what she had said to him the night she had healed him after the Death Eater meeting. He hadn't forgotten the look of respect in her eyes and would never be able to fully show how grateful he was that she, of all people, had given him back his dignity. He knew what they were doing was seen as 'wrong', but he could never label it so, and he would never allow anyone to convince him to do so.

"You alright there, Dad? You went of in your own little world for a second there," said Harry with a laugh.

"Just thinking," he replied softly.

"Well I'll leave you to it then. I have to get back to Draco anyway."

"I would make a comment about being joined at the hip, but I know it would merely go straight over your head," Severus said wryly as Harry rose and moved towards the door.

"If it's not about how cute a couple we make, then you're quite right!" he replied and swept out, throwing a cheeky grin over his shoulder as he did so.

"Foolish boy," Severus muttered fondly.

**xXxXx**

"I know it'll take a bit of getting used to at first, but once you're settled in everything will be fine. Ron, Hermione and Ginny already know about us, and it won't be long before everyone else does either and they'll all just have to get used to the idea," said Harry firmly. He was perched on the end of Draco's bed in the Hospital Wing, and had just finished informing him of the plan to move him to Gryffindor when he was fully recovered.

Draco was a little uncertain about the idea, unsure as to how the other Gryffindors would receive him; his track record with them didn't exactly instil the greatest confidence. Still, it meant he'd be away from the dungeons, but more importantly, it meant he'd be with Harry. Now that their relationship was no longer a secret and they'd be living in such close quarters, they could be together whenever they wanted.

He smiled across at him, just content to be with him, to sit in his company and see him, to be able to smell all those wonderful scents he now attributed only to Harry, to be able to feel Harry's strong arms around him. He couldn't help but marvel at how the slightest touch from the brunette could make him feel as though the whole world had melted away. Like now; all Harry was doing was lightly resting his hand upon his own, and the effect was simply all that Draco was aware of Harry, all that mattered was Harry.

"Hey, penny for them!" said Harry with a laugh.

"Hm?" Draco responded, shaken from his reverie.

"I said penny for your thoughts," Harry repeated. "You zoned out on me for moment there, anything you want to share with the class?" he said teasingly.

Draco smiled, an action that was becoming less and less rare for him, and said, "I was thinking about you actually."

Harry, surprised at such an honest answer, replied, "Me? What about me?"

"Ah now that _would_ be telling," the blond replied with a smirk. "I think I'll just leave you to think about it," he said with an evil smile. Harry merely responded by sticking out his tongue and pretending to sulk, making to get off the bed. "You're not going anywhere Mr!" said Draco, managing to grab a hold of Harry's tie and yanking him back down before he had a chance to even stand. He pulled on the tie so that their faces were barely an inch apart and said, "An injured soldier needs to be given a reason to go on fighting, care to oblige?"

Harry grinned and said, "What do you think?" before bringing his lips down gently to meet Draco's. He was careful and gentle, mindful not to hurt the other boy as he was still healing and he didn't want to be the cause of any further damage, but there was passion behind the kiss, albeit restrained. Draco's fingers had slipped from the tie to wind around the back of his neck, sliding up now and then into the mop of unruly hair at the base of Harry's neck, occasionally pulling Harry closer, letting him know that it was alright, that he needed this. He moaned softly as Harry's tongue met his own, and they slowly, achingly melted into one.

"I wish," Harry whispered breathlessly as his lips moved to Draco's throat. "I wish you were out of here."

"So do I," Draco whispered back, realising exactly what Harry meant. He felt the lips stop and Harry's eyes were once again locked with his own.

"Really?" Harry asked, a slight look of apprehension on his face. Draco nodded and raised a hand to Harry's cheek, letting his thumb caress the soft lips.

"Really," he confirmed. "You have no idea how much."

"Oh I think I can hazard a guess," Harry replied with a grin, letting his lips brush lightly over Draco's again. "You drive me crazy, you know that?" he asked, settling his head in the crook of Draco's neck.

Draco laughed and replied, "Job well done I'd say. Oh, would you pass me that vial on the nightstand?" he asked. Harry pushed himself up and did so, asking,

"What's it for?"

"Oh it's nothing, just something I have to take for a little while," said Draco, trying to sound unconcerned. Harry knew him far too well to be fooled.

"And the truth?" Harry pressed.

"It's just to heal up some internal damage that's all, no big deal."

"No big deal? Draco they've done you some serious damage! You almost died," he said, his voice sounding a little shaky. "How bad is the damage?" he asked softly.

Draco shrugged and said, "I don't really know, nothing too bad honestly. As long as I keep taking the potion on time for a bit then I'll be just fine," he assured Harry. "Hey," he said, taking him gently by the chin. "It's ok, really, nothing to worry about. A few days in bed, a couple more healing spells and a potion now and then and I'll be up and about in no time. Stop worrying," he said gently.

"Easier said than done," Harry replied. "Anyway, before I forget, I managed to sneak this in for you," he said, handing Draco a large square of something wrapped in silver foil.

"Chocolate?" asked Draco, his eyes lighting up at the sight. He took it from the smiling Harry and unwrapped it with an adorable child-like glee. "It's white too!" he said, breaking off a square and placing it delicately on his tongue. "Mm, s'good," he said almost incoherently. "You're a star," he told Harry, leaning his head back and closing his eyes, lost in his enjoyment of the sweet confectionary.

"Tell me something I don't know," said Harry with a grin, giving Draco a nudge so the could stretch out alongside him.

"I'm surprised you remembered white's my favourite though," Draco said, glancing across at him.

"Oh I remember much more than that," said Harry, and when Draco gave him a questioning look, he elaborated, saying, "I remember that, other than white chocolate, your favourite food is pumpkin pie, your favourite drink is Firewhisky, your best subject is Potions, although your favourite is a choice between DADA and Transfiguration, your favourite season is Autumn because it's the perfect temperature for you and you love the colours. I know that when you're agitated, you tap your fingers, when you're thinking, you rub your nose, when you're happy, you're quiet, but occasionally, when you think no one's looking, you smile. I know that you're independent, have one hell of a temper when you get rattled, you're fiercely protective and don't argue! you know you are! You hide behind a mask, but if someone's lucky enough, if they manage to gain enough of your trust, once in a while you let it slip just that little bit and you show that instead of being cold and harsh and unfeeling, you're caring and considerate and passionate," Harry finished, his eyes shining with the emotion that powered his words.

"Wow," breathed Draco, completely taken aback by Harry's speech. "You're…I…wow," he repeated, his usual eloquence deserting him for the moment.

"Told you," Harry whispered.

**xXxXx**

When Harry returned to his room much, much later that night after Madame Pomfrey had thrown him out once and for all, there was a small sheet of parchment waiting for him on his bed. Frowning in curiosity, he picked it up and examined it, the frown turning to a decided smile when he began to read what was written.

_Harry,_

_You don't think you're the only one who knows things do you? Here's your list:_

_1. Your favourite food is pasta._

_2. Your favourite drink is coffee – black with the tiniest bit of sugar, although hot chocolate runs a close second._

_3. Your favourite (and best subject) is, of course, DADA, although you have something of a hidden talent for Charms. (Yes I did notice!)_

_4. Your favourite season is Winter, simply because you're an old romantic at heart and you like to sit in front of the fire in one of those dire jumpers you insist on wearing. (Believe me, if I ever get within an inch of your wardrobe, they will going on the fire you love so much!)_

_5.When you're agitated or anxious, you bite your bottom lip._

_6. When you're thinking, you chew your quill or one of the legs of your glasses, but when you're thinking deeply (which doesn't happen very often, granted), you bite the thumb of your left hand._

_7. When you're happy, your smile is bright enough to blind, and you can always tell when it's real or not because your eyes turn just the slightest different shade of green._

_8. You are also independent, sometimes ridiculously so, and your temper is a force to be reckoned with (although everyone knows that if it came down to it, I'd kick your arse every time)._

_9. You have no masks save this – those who don't know you, see you as TheBoyWhoLived, the one destined to save the wizarding world and a person who is infallible. What they don't know, is that you're so much more than that. You're sweet, funny (sometimes not intentionally, but we'll let that one slide), caring, capable of mistakes but man enough to own up to them and face them. You're brave, loyal, protective and you put everyone before yourself. _

_And not forgetting the most important one of all;_

_10. You're mine. And don't ever forget it._

_Draco_

Harry smiled, and guessed it must have been one of those ones that turned his eyes 'just the slightest shade of green' because he truly meant it. Tucking the letter carefully under his pillow, he grabbed his invisibility cloak and headed back to the Hospital Wing. He had some things to say to Draco that just wouldn't wait until the morning.

**xXxXx**

Draco was lying in bed, staring up at the pristine white ceiling, willing himself to go to sleep. The attempt was failing spectacularly however, as he was having difficultly removing a certain green-eyed Gryffindor from his thoughts. He hoped that he'd done the right thing in sending Harry that letter. He just wanted to prove to Harry that he knew him just as well and that he noticed all the little things he knew Harry didn't realise he did. He emitted a soft sigh and was about to gingerly turn over when he felt a pair of lips press against his own. As he didn't find himself looking into any eyes, or seeing any signs of a person at all, he merely said when his lips were released again, "One of these days you're going to get that damn cloak confiscated."

"Ah but aren't you glad it hasn't happened before now or I wouldn't be able to come and see you," Harry replied, pulling the cloak off.

"I see you couldn't stay away long," said Draco with a smirk as Harry sat down beside him on the bed.

"Well, I got your letter and I didn't really fancy waiting till morning to come and see you again so I snuck up here, braving Filch _and _McGonagall I might add!"

"Ah, my hero!" said Draco with a pretend swoon. "Seriously though, you couldn't wait the few meagre hours till morning to come see me again? I think I'm touched," he said with a smile.

Harry returned it softly and leant in for another kiss, cradling the other boy's head gently. It was sweet and slow and Harry let himself be overcome by the smell that was simply Draco and by the feeling of just getting lost in that one moment where nothing else mattered but skin on skin, nothing mattered but the contact. He moved his lips to Draco's neck, almost smiling at the familiarity of the taste, knowing exactly which areas to focus on to get elicit those delicious sounds from the blond. He slid a little further up so his mouth was level with Draco's ear and after one small kiss, he whispered slowly, "I love you".

He felt Draco's body tense slightly and he was sure he heard a hitch of his breath. He moved so he was looking directly into Draco's eyes and bit his lip in apprehension. The blond was looking shocked and somewhat disbelieving and Harry hoped he hadn't miscalculated everything up until that point and had just ruined what was possibly the best thing ever to happen to him. "I…told you when you were still unconscious, and I promised that I'd tell you again when you came round, I guess I'm just keeping my promise. But I _do_ mean it Draco, and it's…it's ok if you don't feel the same way and I'm sorry if I'm messing this up by telling you this, but I just had to, I couldn't keep it to myself to anymore and I thought you had a right to know and…" his incessant ramble was cut off by Draco sealing his lips with his own, taking him in a passionate and heady kiss that was so intense he had to steady himself before falling off the bed.

"You foolish Gryffindor," Draco whispered, breaking off and resting his forehead against Harry's. "How could you possibly think that I wouldn't feel the same way?" he asked, and had to laugh when he saw Harry's eyes widen in surprise and relief. "I've been trying to tell you for days, I wanted to tell you when were in the Room of Requirement the night before all this happened, but I just…didn't have the courage I suppose," said Draco with a delightfully crooked smile, one that never failed to elicit a similar one from the brunette. "You know, I can tell you a lot more about yourself than all the things I wrote on that letter."

"Bet I can beat you."

**xXxXx**

"I'm not sure about this, Harry."

"Oh come one, there's nothing to be afraid of, it'll be quick and painless, I promise,"

"You don't know that, you've not exactly done this before, now have you?"

"Well…no, fair enough I haven't, but I promise you that everything will be fine. All it will take is a few minutes, tops, and then it'll all be over. Come on, you said you were ready earlier."

"Yeah well I thought I was, but now…I don't know, the prospect just seems a little daunting is all. I mean, I've only just recovered from a pretty serious beating, do I really want to put myself through something so strenuous so soon after?"

"Oh come on, Drake, it won't be strenuous, it'll be…well…a challenge at best. Pretty soon you'll find your feet with everything and it'll be easy, you'll feel as if you've never known anything different."

"You're sure we can't just save this until another time?"

"If you loved me, you would."

"Oh don't pull that one on me, you know perfectly well this has nothing to do with whether or not I love you!"

"Oh yes it does! If you loved me then you'd just get over yourself and come into the common room! For goodness sake, what are you going to do otherwise, go back to the Slytherin common room and ask them all if they want another go!" asked Harry.

He and Draco were standing outside the portrait hole that led into the Gryffindor common room. He had been trying desperately for about fifteen minutes to get the blond to just go in, and he had yet to succeed. He had tried every possible method he could think of, and he was now ready to simply shove him inside, whether he liked it or not. Draco had marginally recovered from the beating he had received from his fellow Slytherins, but he was still a little sore and he had to be careful not to overdo it, or he could cause further damage. Harry had, of course, stayed with him as much as he had been allowed, and after he had been kicked out by Madame Pomfrey, he would often slip back in under the cover of the Invisibility Cloak, and he and Draco would simply sit, wrapped around one another in a sweet kind of contentment.

Ginny had actually paid him a couple of visits, much to the gratitude of both Harry and Draco, although Draco would of course never show that he felt such a thing. Still, he had been pleasant, even amiable, and he and Ginny had sat for a good long while talking about various Potions and the theories behind them. He had found her to be challenging and she provided a stimulating conversation, which he had very much enjoyed. When she had left she had even given him a small peck on the cheek, turning to Harry with a grin, saying, "Now now, I know he's yours, no need for jealousy!", to which both he and Harry had laughed. He was pleased that there would be at least one friendly face in the tower. He couldn't vouch for any of the others though.

"Drake, I promise you that everything will be alright," he said gently, cradling Draco's neck with his hand. "I'm going to be right beside you the whole time and anyway, we don't have to stay there for long, just a couple of minutes then we can go and get you settled into your new room. Look, this is where you're going to be living from now on; you've got to go in there sometime, unless you're planning on sleeping out in this corridor for the rest of your time at Hogwarts."

Draco gave him a defeated nod and said, "Fine, let's go in then."

Harry gave small smile of relief and said, "I promise you it'll be ok", then turning to the portrait of the Fat Lady, he said, "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. And you're _not_ to sneer at that!" he told Draco sternly.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say," said Draco, rolling his eyes as he followed Harry in through into the Gryffindor common room.

The room, which had previously been full of noise and laughter, fell eerily silent as the occupants turned to see Harry and the blond Slytherin walk through the portrait hole. Every single pair of eyes was focused on them and Draco had never felt more like a goldfish in his entire life. He unconsciously took a step closer to Harry, who gave him an encouraging smile and whispered, "I'm right here, nothing's going to happen." Then he turned his attention back to the crowd, who were still staring at them both with a mixture of curiosity, disapproval and, in some cases, hostility. "Everyone, this is Draco, I'm sure most of you know him anyway, and I know you all know that he's going to be staying here from now on. I'd just like to take this opportunity to say that if anyone, _anyone_ tries anything, you will have me to answer to, and given the fact that I've had a couple of pretty serious run-ins with Voldemort, I'm thinking that's something you may not want to do," he said darkly, his expression hard and unyielding.

Out of the crowd, Draco saw Ginny make her way towards them. She stopped in front of him, rose up on her toes, kissed him lightly on the cheek and said, "Welcome to Gryffindor, Draco, I hope you'll be happy here."

"Thank you, Ginny," he said sincerely, and even managed to give her a small smile, something which he had vowed never to do in public. Merlin but Harry Potter had a lot to answer for!

She returned the smile and said quietly, "There are a few people who are less than happy with the arrangement, but I'm sure you'll find most are more than willing to accept you. After all, everyone deserves a second chance right? Well, this is yours and I for one am more than happy to have you here. It'll provide me with some intelligent conversation at least!" she said with a teasing wink.

"Ginevra Weasley, are you implying that I'm not intelligent?" came Hermione's voice as she and Ron materialised through the crowd to come and stand with them.

Ginny laughed and said, "I wouldn't dream of it! But you know, Draco really is quite clever, I'm sure you'd find some of his conversations interesting," Ginny said with a raised eyebrow. Harry gave her a sideways glance; she knew how to stir things, he'd give her that.

"Well," said Hermione, looking across at Harry with a thoughtful expression. "I'm sure I'll have to test that at some point. After all, we've never really had a proper conversation, have we Mal…Draco?" she asked, looking back to the blond.

"No," Draco said softly. "No we haven't Grange...Hermione, I hope…I hope we can rectify that at some point," he said, and Harry could have kissed him there and then. He was being every inch the charming, unassuming person Harry knew that he really was and he was so, so thrilled that now his friends had the chance to see what he was privileged to see on a daily basis. He looked to Ron next and bit his lip in apprehension. He knew he could count on the girls to be welcoming and sensitive enough to realise that the support they gave was as much for Harry as it was for Draco, but he wasn't sure how Ron would react to the whole thing.

The redhead in question stepped forward so he was standing in front of Draco. He gave him an appraising look, his expression giving away nothing, something that Harry was sure even Draco would have to credit him on. "I'm not going to pretend that this is a situation that I'm ok with," Ron began slowly. "Merlin knows you haven't exactly given me a reason to trust you and your behaviour towards me, my friends and my family has hardly been a good indication of the kind of person you are. However," he said, and Harry felt his heart return to its rightful place in his chest rather than in his throat. "Harry seems to think that you're actually worth something, that you're not the git you always made out you were. Now I trust Harry's judgement, and I'd like to think that he wouldn't make any decision that would hurt either him or the people around him, so I'm going to give you the _extreme_ benefit of the doubt and trust that there _is_ actually more to the arrogant swine I've had to put up with for the past six and half years. But I warn you; hurt Harry in any way, and I _will_ rip out your organs and feed them to Giant Squid, are we clear?" he asked freakishly calmly.

Draco nodded and said, "We're clear."

"Good," said Ron. "Then welcome to Gryffindor," and with that he extended his hand to the blond, and Harry had never seen either look so serious. Draco looked at the freckled hand for a moment then took it, his expression saying more than words ever could.

"Right…well we'd better go and get you settled in your room," Harry said. "Um, can you guys, maybe deal with people down here while we do?" he asked his friends.

"This lot?" asked Ginny with a smile. "No problem."

Harry smiled and indicated to Draco to take the staircase to his right. Glancing back at his friends, he gave them a warm smile and mouthed 'thank you', meaning it more than they could possibly ever know.

He took Draco up to his new room, and was rather amused to find that it was practically right next door to his own. He wondered if his father had had a hand in that decision at all.

"Red and gold," said Draco with a sigh. "It just had to be red and gold didn't it?"

"No complaints, you," said Harry giving him a gentle nudge.

"Hey! I'd like to remind you that I have just recovered from some very serious injuries, any violence whatsoever could exacerbate the condition and send me back into regression!" said Draco dramatically.

"Aww, poor thing, is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

"Well, I think I might have a few ideas," said Draco with a grin, pulling him down onto the bed, claiming his lips in a possessive kiss. Harry was still being gentle with him, afraid that if he wasn't careful enough, he really would hurt Draco, but Draco seemed to have other ideas. Moving himself so he was above Harry, he said, "I may not be completely fixed, but I'm not broken anymore, and I won't break if you touch me you know." He reclaimed Harry's lips again and was pleased when Harry responded with more fervour, now equipped with the knowledge that he could do so. Their tongues met and Harry pulled the blond closer to him, desperate for as much contact as possible. Safe in the knowledge that he would now not hurt Draco, he reversed their positions so he was resting on top of him, pinning him gently to the bed. He kissed him soundly for a few more moments, then pulled away, looking down at him with a smile on his face. Brushing a wayward strand of hair out of the way, he said, "As much as I would love to continue this, you need to unpack."

"Why must you always spoil everything, Potter?" asked Draco with an eye-roll.

"Because I'm the practical one in this relationship," Harry replied. A soft smile graced Draco's lips and Harry asked, "What? Why the smile?"

"Oh, just the idea of being in a 'relationship', it's not really a thought I've ever entertained before. And now, the person I'm in a relationship with just happens to be Harry Potter, my one-time enemy and bane of my existence. I suppose I'm just smiling at life's little ironies and peculiarities," he replied.

Harry returned the smile then pushed himself off the bed, hoisting the blond up with him. "Unpack now, reflect on the weird and wonderful later," he said, placing a small box in the blond's arms, then retrieving the rest of luggage from where they had left it at the door. He was just straightening up from picking up another box when he felt Draco slide his arms round his waist, his chin resting on his shoulder.

"Hey Potter?" he whispered silkily into Harry's ear.

"Mm?" Harry replied, slightly amused.

"Love you," he said softly, sounding almost slightly apprehensive, as if still afraid that he might not get the same answer.

This of course would simply not happen. "Love you too," Harry replied. "Maybe we can save the unpacking till later."

**xXxXx**

**AN: Right, that's your lot, I hope I haven't overdosed you too much on the fluff, but I just couldn't help it, hee hee! Anyways, let me know what you thought of it, hit that review button! Later days x**


	18. Opening of Eyes

**AN:** Hey guys, sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter out, the only excuse I can give you is that I'm a complete moron! Lol, I thought I'd emailed the chapter to my BETA but I forgot, so I was waiting to get back something I hadn't sent in the first place! Yeah I know, I know, not my fault I'm an idiot though! Anyways, thank you millions Tora for BETA-ing this when I did finally send it to you, don't know what I'd do without you!

Thanks to the anonymous reviewers, sign in next time so I can thank you properly! Hehe, hope you all enjoy the chapter, the next one's almost written, so it shouldn't be too long to wait! Enjoy!

**xXxXx**

If Harry and Draco had been nervous before entering the Gryffindor common room, it was nothing compared to the way they felt as they stood outside the Great Hall, preparing to go in for breakfast. They had sat and debated as to whether it was actually necessary to go at all, but in the end, Harry had argued that they had to make a stand, they had to show the rest of the school, particularly the Slytherins, just what they were made of. Besides, if they went in together, it would finally lay to rest all the rumour and gossip that had been flying around about them over the past few days, all the secrets would come to an end.

"Ready?" asked Harry, looking across at Draco.

"Hm, now let's see; am I ready to enter a room full of people with preconceived ideas and notions about me, let them know that not only have I switched sides, I've now switched houses, am in fact gay and am seeing the wizarding world's symbol of hope and heroism? You mean am I ready to do that?" Draco asked, obviously apprehensive and agitated by the whole situation.

"Pretty much," Harry replied and Draco shot him a glare that didn't quite have the full impact behind it. "Come on, we can do this, we've faced worse things, this is nothing." Draco gave him a look that clearly said he thought Harry had a screw or two loose, but Harry said, "We don't have to stay long, come on, we'll be together." He gave the blond a smile and held out his hand, half for support for Draco, half for himself. Draco paused for a few moments, then sighed and took the offered hand, reluctance written all over his face.

After a few deep breaths, they pushed open the heavy doors and entered the Hall, hands still firmly clasped together. At the noise, a few people looked up, and upon seeing whom it was who had entered, they hastily informed their neighbours, and soon, every pair of eyes was directed at them, and the silence was almost unearthly. Even the teachers, it seemed, were too interested by the spectacle the two young men presented to tell the pupils to resume normal behaviour. After deciding he had had quite enough of being ogled, Harry gave Draco's hand a tug, then they both walked over to the Gryffindor table, and took their places in between Ginny and Ron.

"Have you always got to make a bloody entrance, mate?" Ron whispered amusedly as Harry settled in next to him.

"Oh shut up," Harry replied good-naturedly.

"Uh oh, here's trouble," Ginny said, and they turned to see Nott and a few of his crones swaggering up to the table.

"Well isn't this nice?" he sneered, standing in front of Harry and Draco. "Not only are you a blood traitor, you're a _house_ traitor and a poof! Kind of puts the icing on the cake really doesn't it? I always knew there was something funny about you, now I know; you're a fucking fairy! What a bloody disgrace," he spat.

Draco rose from his seat with the utmost presence and grace and said levelly, "Yeah, I can see how disgraceful it must be to want to be in a relationship with someone like Harry, when really I should want to go around raping girls." Nott's eyes went to Ginny and he smirked, but Draco moved in front of her and said through clenched teeth, "Look at her that way again, and I promise you she'll be the last thing you'll see."

"Oh?" Nott said, looking greatly amused. "What do you think you can do all on your own hey? You try anything and this time we'll finish you off for good, you won't be able to crawl back to your new home."

"He's not on his own," Harry said, rising and standing next to Draco. "He's got me."

"And me," said Ginny, also standing, shooting Nott a particularly disgusted look.

From there, the chain reaction seemed to start; first Ron stood, then Hermione, followed by Neville, Dean and Seamus. Next stood Parvarti and Lavender, then the Creevey brothers until eventually the whole Gryffindor table was on their feet, their expressions firm and unyielding. Nott and his fellow companions didn't know what to do with such a display of unity and the sudden increase in manpower to completely overshadow their own. At a loss, Nott simply threw Draco one last look of loathing, then stormed off, his lackeys trailing behind him.

"Wow," said Harry, looking back to the whole House. "Talk about a 'Spartacus' moment!" Hermione and a few of the other muggle-borns grinned at him. Draco simply frowned in confusion. "Never mind, I'll have to get you more immersed in muggle culture," he said, and it was a credit to the blond that no disparaging or offensive remark about muggles left his lips. He merely rolled his eyes and took his place once again. Truthfully, he was a little too shocked to really say anything at that moment. The whole of Gryffindor House had just stood with him against the Slytherins, they had all given him their support unquestioningly. It was incredibly new and strange to him.

"Told you they'd accept you," Harry whispered to him.

Draco turned to him with an incredulous look on his face and said, "Do you always know what people are thinking?"

"No," Harry replied with a smile. "Just you."

**xXxXx**

As he had said he would, Severus spoke with Albus about connecting his fireplace with the one in the Great Hall. The old man had of course questioned him as to whether or not it was necessary to work with Ginny so frequently. Against his better judgement, indeed against his sense of morality, he had argued that it was, and that in light of recent events, he felt that it wouldn't be safe to keep the arrangement as it was. Albus had eventually conceded, although Severus couldn't help but feel uneasy at the searching look the old man gave him. He hated thinking that Albus knew more than he wanted him to.

Well, whether he did or not, his fireplace was indeed connected to the one in the Great Hall, and only Ginny, Harry and Draco were told this and how to use it, as it differed slightly from the floo network and required a password. Ginny was especially pleased with the new arrangement, as getting to see Severus now posed less of a problem, something which she took full advantage of. That morning after the little confrontation with Nott and the others, she took the fireplace down to his rooms, knowing that he didn't have a lesson until the afternoon.

"I see you're making good use of the new system," he said with a smirk as she stepped out from the hearth, dusting herself off.

"You'd have something to say about it if I didn't," she replied with a raised eyebrow.

He couldn't help but smile at that. If it had been anyone else, even Harry, they would have looked uneasy, hesitated for a second, then asked if he wanted them to leave. But not Ginny. She gave just as good as she got, usually better in fact, and she merely dealt with his remarks, even his more acerbic ones, with ease and no fuss whatsoever. He had to admit; he had met his match. He just wasn't expecting it to take the form of a seventeen-year-old student, especially _this_ seventeen-year-old student.

"And what, might I ask, was all that about with Nott this morning?" he asked.

"Oh he was having a go at Draco for being a 'traitor' again. The moron just can't seem to let it go. Of course, I suppose he's getting plenty of encouragement from Lucius," she said, her lip curling slightly. Her opinion of the elder Malfoy was not the highest.

"I saw him look at you; did he try anything?" he asked, trying to sound casual, but obviously concerned.

"Severus Snape, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were worried about me," she teased, sitting down next to him.

"I just don't like the thought of him coming anywhere near you," he half-growled, all attempts at 'casual' now gone.

"Don't worry," she said softly. "Nothing happened with Draco there," she said with a smile; her liking of the blond was growing with each day. "Not, of course, that I need anyone to protect me," she said, only half-seriously.

"Are you sure he didn't do anything?"

"Merlin you _were_ worried!" she exclaimed, slightly taken aback by the sudden realisation. "I never thought I'd see the day when you'd actually give something away; that mask is usually so well fixed in place it's normally impossible to fathom anything," she said, sitting down beside him. She knew better though than to press the matter; that would ensure that the mask would stay more firmly in place, never to be removed again. "Really," she assured him. "I was fine, he didn't try anything, and after the stand the whole house made, I think he might back off, if only for a little while."

"Well just be on your guard," he warned. "He's threatened you before, I don't want him to make good his threat," he said seriously, inwardly berating himself for letting his guard down, for displaying so obviously what he was feeling. Ginny simply nodded, and he was pleased that she didn't push the issue further. "How's Draco settling in?" he asked, wishing to change the topic, sorry he had ever raised it.

Ginny smiled and said, "Well enough I think. Mind you, none of us have seen him, he's been locked away with Harry since he got there!"

"Please, spare me the details of my son's relationship," he said with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh you've got to admit, they make a cute couple," Ginny replied with a grin, to which Severus' eyebrow merely arched higher. She laughed and said, "You're just an old misery."

"Less of the 'old' if you don't mind," he said with mock-severity.

"Aw, now you know I prefer the more mature man," she said teasingly, shifting closer to him. He smirked and he was about to lean in towards her when he heard the door to his classroom open, closely followed by a knock on his own door.

"Severus?" came Albus' voice from the other side. "Are you there? I need to speak with you."

"What shall I do?" asked Ginny, a slight tinge of panic in her voice at the idea of being caught somewhere she most definitely shouldn't be.

"Just stay, it'll look suspicious if you try and hide or make a quick exist," he said, moving towards the door.

"It's suspicious anyway," she muttered before Severus opened the door to reveal the waiting headmaster.

"Oh, good morning, Severus, I was just...oh…Miss Weasley…" he said upon seeing her as he stepped inside. "What are you doing here?" he asked, and Severus was sure he saw something in the man's eyes beyond mere curiosity.

"I came to discuss a few things about the antidote with S…Professor Snape. We've recently hit something of dry spell where ideas are concerned and as we're both free until the afternoon; I thought it might be beneficial to review the work so far and see if we could maybe make some further progress. We usually conduct our meetings in the Professor's private quarters as there's less chance of being interrupted, and all the Professor's more useful reading materials are here," she explained levelly, and Severus had to admit that even _he_ would have believed her, had he not known the truth.

"I see," said Dumbledore, his eyes moving from Ginny to Severus. "Well, I wouldn't wish to interrupt any work being done on the antidote, so I shall leave you for now, but I would like to speak with you at some point during the day. Good day to you both," he said, turning and leaving, although Severus could have sworn there was just a momentary pause when the headmaster was about to say something. There was just something in his manner that said he didn't quite trust the situation, and that unnerved Severus.

He heard Ginny breathe a sigh of relief and he turned to her and said, "You should go," but nevertheless, he moved closer to her.

"Do you want me to?" she asked quietly, looking him directly in the eye.

"That doesn't matter, what I want doesn't matter," he said equally as quietly, tearing his eyes from hers.

"Hang on just a minute," she said moving round so he was forced to look at her. "Don't tell me you're having second thoughts about all of this, after everything we've been through you're starting to have doubts now?"

"Ginny for Merlin's sake you must have known that I've had doubts about this from the very beginning. What we're doing.. it's…it's…"

"It's what, Severus? Don't you dare tell me it's wrong because I just simply won't accept that, not after all this, not after how far we've come," she said fiercely. She hadn't been prepared to give up when they'd started this, what seemed like an eternity ago, she sure as hell wasn't prepared to give up now…after everything. "Look, I know this is crazy, ok, I know that! But I'm prepared to fight for it, I thought you were too. I know this isn't easy, in fact it's a complicated mess, but I happen to think that it's worth it, don't you?" she asked quietly, half-afraid of the answer.

He was silent, his eyes averted from hers, and she wasn't sure if he was contemplating the answer or simply avoiding giving it. "Well if you can't even answer me I think that rather says it all," she said, heading quickly for the door. Her hand was just about to reach for the handle when he moved in front of her, blocking her exit. "Please move," she requested calmly, refusing to look at him.

"Ginny," came his voice, low and level and, as usual, betraying nothing. "Ginny look at me," he said, and he slipped a long finger under her chin and tilted her head so she could do nothing _but_ look at him. "Of course I think it's worth it, you must know that, but surely you understand how difficult this whole situation is; I'm your teacher, not to mention twenty years your senior, people just won't understand."

"I realise that, and I know how careful we have to be. You think I like knowing that I'm putting your job in jeopardy, that your reputation could well be on the line because of me? Believe me, I don't. I know what people would think if they found out, but soon I'll be seventeen, an adult, and I'll have left here and we won't have to care. That is of course assuming that the war doesn't hit us before that time," she finished seriously. Of course, if that did happen, a student-teacher relationship would be the least of anyone's worries. "I know people are going to say that this is wrong, but I just don't see it that way, do you?" she asked.

He shook his head, took her hand and led her over to the sofa. He took a seat and gently pulled her down next to him, placing an arm around her shoulders. Surprised at such an openly affectionate gesture, she gave him a questioning look, to which he said, "No, I don't think it's wrong. However, I _do_ think that what we're doing goes against the rules and ethics of my profession, and would be seen as severe abuse of my position." He held up a hand to silence her as he saw she was about to react to his comment. "I know we both know it isn't," he said. "But others will not see it that way. They will see only the facts, the same facts that I am also aware of; a relationship is taking place between a sixteen-year-old student and her thirty seven year old professor.

"They won't understand that that student is in fact closer to twenty six than sixteen, that she knows her own mind, is fiercely intelligent, precocious and has a will of iron. They won't understand that no one could make you do something you didn't want to, that you're independent, your own woman. They won't understand that the events of your past have shaped who you are today, that they've made you cautious, astute, aware, and put you at an age far beyond your sixteen years, making you utterly unlike your contemporaries. In short, they won't see what I do," he finished softly and she found herself unable to tear her eyes from his, shocked beyond speech at what he had just said to her.

This was the man who was cold, supposedly unfeeling, who showed nothing, who, if rumours were to be believed, _felt_ nothing. And now, here he was, saying these things to her, things that she couldn't believe she was hearing. It made her feel as though it really might all be worth it. "Are we crazy?" she asked quietly.

"Quite possibly, yes," he said with a slight smirk, which disappeared almost as quickly as it had come. "This _is_ a difficult situation, but…I believe it's one worth fighting for," he said and she felt his arm tighten around her shoulders. It was an embrace she leant into gratefully, soaking up the warmth and affection she found there, relief flooding through her.

"So do I," she whispered. "And I _will_ fight for it, I don't care what happens," she said fiercely, looking up at him, her eyes swimming with tears of relief, joy and the slightest tinge of frustration. She reached a hand up and slid it round his neck, gently bringing his head down to her own. She paused to give him a small smile before pressing her lips to his in a slow, sweet kiss that seemed to go on forever, something which Ginny was quite happy with. When they broke apart she whispered a soft, "Thank you".

"What for?" he asked.

"For lowering the mask long enough to give me some reassurance," she said with a soft laugh, a slightly sheepish look on her face. "I suppose I just needed to know that you believed in this as much as I do, I wasn't willing to put myself on the line if there was a good chance I was going to be there alone," she said, resting her cheek on his chest, curling into his side. "It'll only be a few more months and then we can stop all this clandestine nonsense, we won't have to worry about people finding out."

"It will still be problematic," he said, his hand moving to rest lightly on her head, gently moving back and forth in yet another totally uncharacteristic affectionate gesture.

"Would we have it any other way?" she asked with a smile. "Our lives are too complicated for it to be anything but, but we'll manage, that's what we do," she said softly and her words drifted into a comfortable, still silence. She revelled in the feeling of being so close to him, of just being able to sit wrapped in his arms, being able to forget the rest of the world and all its problems. "Can I stay for a bit?" she asked quietly.

"You don't need to ask," came the equally quiet response as he placed a kiss on the top of her head and pulled her even closer. "You don't need to ask."

**xXxXx**

Upon entering the Gryffindor common room, Harry was greeted with Ron's voice saying, "I just don't believe it! You cheated, you must have done! You really _are_ evil!"

"Oh just accept it, Weasley, this little tirade is really rather pathetic," came Draco's slow drawl. "I suppose some people just can't take it when others are better than them."

Fearing Draco was about to start slurring Ron's family, or Ron was about to fly into one of his tempers, he stepped fully into the common room, then stopped at the sight he was greeted with. His best friend and his boyfriend were sat in front of the fire playing what looked like a relatively amicable game of chess. He eyed them warily, as if expecting them to morph into Death Eaters at any moment; surely the Draco and Ron he knew would never sit down and play a game of chess together. "Everything alright?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Fine," said Draco, getting up and going to sit on the sofa, indicating for Harry to join him. "Weasley just can't take the fact that I beat him soundly at a game he's supposed to be so brilliant at," he said with a smirk.

"Just you wait till the re-match, Malfoy, I'll beat your sorry arse for sure," said Ron with a scowl, though it was one that Harry was relieved to see held no malice.

"Whatever you say," Draco replied, turning his attention to the person sitting next to him. "And where have you been?" he asked.

"Ugh, researching in the library for that bloody Transfiguration essay, I think my brain's gone numb," he complained, resting his head against the back of the sofa. "Have you two really been playing chess?" he asked, looking from his boyfriend to his best friend.

"No Harry, the chessboard's just out there for decoration and Weasley always looks that disgruntled," Draco replied with a raised eyebrow, to which Ron actually added his own little smirk. "Of course we've been playing chess, it's…well a common ground between us. He's actually a…rather decent player," said Draco, forcing the compliment from his mouth. Of course, it wasn't quite an accurate assessment; Ron was much better than 'rather decent', but it was a huge step in the right direction for Draco to say that of him.

"And I'll beat you well and truly in the re-match, Malfoy, tonight was just a fluke."

"Oh of course it was," Draco replied with mock concordance. "Just an off-day was it?" he ribbed.

"You just wait till next time, Malfoy, I'll wipe that look off your face for good. Now, however, I'm going to go patrolling with Hermione, I don't exactly like the idea of her going on her own, not with everything that's going on at the moment, it's too dangerous," he said, getting up and heading for the portrait hole. "Merlin knows what this world's coming to," he said, shaking his head and going off to find his girlfriend.

"Ok spill, what were you really doing?" Draco asked when he was sure that Ron had gone.

"What do you mean?"

"I know perfectly well that you finished that essay two days ago, what were you really doing?" he repeated.

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair, then said, "I was looking for some stuff on the Fianna, I guess I'm still a little confused about it all, needed some answers."

"Well then don't you think you'd be better off going to the man who has them rather than sifting through dusty old books that will only make vague references to it?"

"I know, I just get the feeling that Dad doesn't really like talking about it, I think it's part of his past that he'd rather leave untouched. It's just…there are so many questions that I have about the whole thing, and about him too."

"Then the only thing you can do is ask them. He told you that he wanted you to get to know him better, that he wanted the opportunity to make you understand the whole situation, you're going to have to take him up on that, it's the only way you're going to get the answers you want," Draco said logically. "Come on, he's your father, he's not going to turn you away for asking questions that you're perfectly justified for wanting answers to."

"Maybe you're right."

**xXxXx**

After Draco had clarified that he was indeed right, and was so all of the time, Harry made his way to the Great Hall and from there used the floo to Severus' quarters. Seeing that the living area was empty, he made his way through into the classroom, hovering in the doorway for a moment when he saw that Severus was in there with Ginny. They were both sat at his desk, their heads bent over a thick potions tome, studying it intently.

"Do you see what I was saying?" Severus asked, turning to face her.

"Yes, I can see that that _would_ pose a bit of a problem. Well I suppose we'll just have to re-think that theory, it was only an idea after all, it's all just trial and error at this stage. We're not doing too badly though, we've come a long way."

"In more ways than one," Severus replied, and Harry frowned, not understanding the words, nor the expression he saw on Severus' face.

"Indeed," Ginny said with a smile. "I suppose you'll want to go through all this for hours on end tomorrow and I shan't get a moment's peace from you," she said, to which he gave a small nod of confirmation. "You're a sadist, you know that?" she asked, and Harry was surprised at the familiarity with which she was speaking to him, and more importantly, he was surprised at how his father seemed perfectly happy to tolerate it, the man looked almost amused.

"So I've been told," he responded with a smirk. "By several people," he added and she merely rolled her eyes in what Harry could have sworn was a…_fond_ gesture.

Deciding that he no longer wished to stay hovering in the doorway, Harry cleared his throat and moved forward, saying, "Hi, sorry to bother you, I didn't realise you were working, only – "

"Oh don't worry about it, we were just about to finish, start fresh again tomorrow," said Ginny, looking back to Severus to tell him that it was ok, she would go and give him some time with Harry. "Ten tomorrow?" she asked, and Severus nodded in reply, shutting the book in front of him. "Ok, then, I'll see you tomorrow," she said softly and Harry was sure he saw her give Severus the tiniest of smiles before turning to him saying, "Night Harry, I'll see you back in the Tower."

"Night Gin," he replied as she moved back through Severus' quarters to use the floo. "Things are going well then?" he asked, turning back to face his father.

"How do you mean?" Severus asked with a frown.

"With the antidote."

"Oh, of course," Severus said, shaking his head. "Things are progressing nicely at the moment, although we keep hitting a few problems here and there, it's only to be expected though I suppose, the bloody thing is ridiculously complicated. Did you wish to speak with me?" he asked, gesturing for Harry to take a seat.

"Actually yes," Harry replied, sitting down next to Severus. He paused for a moment, bit his lip, then said, "I have a few questions."

"I see," said Severus slowly. He laced his fingers and sat back in his chair, regarding Harry for a moment or two before saying, "I told you you were welcome to come and see me with any questions you might have, I'm not going to revoke that promise. You may ask me whatever you wish, and I will endeavour to answer to the best of my abilities."

Harry nodded and resumed biting his lip, collecting his thoughts together, trying to remember everything he wanted to ask, everything he needed answers to. "I suppose the thing that I most want to know about is…if I'm one of the two souls…who's the other? And if we're meant to be united, what does that mean for me?" he asked, slightly afraid of what the answer might be.

"Well," Severus began, rising from his seat, beginning to pace slightly, a sign that Harry knew to mean he was considering his reply and gathering his thoughts. "There is no real way of knowing who the other soul might be, indeed, we're not even completely sure that you're one of them, but all the signs seem to be pointing that way. When…if…you encounter the other soul, you will feel drawn to them, compelled to be with them, your feelings will be strong, unquestionable, and you will _need_ to be with them. Once you find each other, your souls will be irrevocably united, you will almost be as one, sharing power, feelings, perhaps even thoughts. After a…physical union, that will be it, no turning back, you will be bound to them for the rest of your life."

"Dad…" Harry said slowly, barely loud enough to be heard as his father's words sunk in and his mind starting making connections.

"Harry?"

"I think I know who the other soul is," he whispered, raising his eyes to meet Severus', shocks of excitement, fear and disbelief running through him. "It's Draco."

Severus stopped his pacing and returned to his seat, looking Harry firmly in the eyes. "Are you certain?" he asked, his voice low and serious.

"It has to be," Harry replied. "Ever since we came back to school I've been…_pulled_ towards him; I couldn't stop thinking about him, I always seemed to find myself near him. Since we've been together, those feelings have grown and grown and I can hardly bear to be apart from him. I love him, more than anything. I feel more connected to him than I've felt to anyone in my whole life, even Ron and Hermione. It must be him," he said on a breath. He frowned, a thought suddenly occurring to him. "But then…does that mean that this isn't real?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"If this is all part of some prophecy, if we're simply two souls that are meant to be together, then does this mean that what's between us isn't real, it's all just magic making us be together?" Harry asked, the words leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. The thought was one that sickened him to his stomach.

Severus considered his answer carefully before replying, "No, I don't believe that's so. The prophecy states that the souls will be bound together, but it says nothing about love, it could easily be a friendship, or a mentor/student relationship. Magic cannot control love; it's simply too powerful a force. The feelings you and Draco have for each other I have no doubt are real, set your mind at rest. If indeed Draco _is_ the other soul, then I would say you are already well on the way to becoming united. I know this is a delicate question," Severus began, looking somewhat awkward. "But have the two of you…"

Deciding to spare his father the embarrassment of practically spelling it out, Harry said, fighting his own embarrassment, "No, not yet."

"You realise then, that if Draco is the other soul, should you…sleep together, you will be bound, irrevocably so, there will be no escaping it, you will…belong to each other."

Harry gave himself a moment before looking across at Severus with a content smile upon his lips. "I can honestly say I can't see any problems with that. I know what you're going to say," he continued, seeing Severus was about to interrupt. "I know we're young, but I love him, I can't imagine ever being with anyone else. If we become bound, so be it, in fact I would welcome it," he said, unable to keep the smile from his lips.

"Married in your seventh year, Harry?" Severus asked. "For that is in essence what we're talking about here. The binding of two souls is like a marriage, only stronger as it can never be broken."

"I _do_ understand that, Dad, and I really can't think of any reason why I wouldn't want that. I want to be with him, no one else even comes close," he said softly, realising that he sounded like a fool in love, which, he supposed, he was. "If it's part of the prophecy anyway then it's going to happen whatever. But is it even possible that he's the other soul? I mean, don't they have to come from one of the Fianna, that's its purpose right?" he asked, all the questions he had wanted to ask flooding back to him.

"Yes, that is the primary purpose of the Fianna, but it is possible that the soul could have been reborn in anyone, the Fianna were just doing their part to ensure that people existed for the souls to be reborn into. There's every possibility that it is Draco, and from what you say, it now seems _probable_. If it is so, you will begin to share one another's powers and feelings and as I said, perhaps even thoughts. The two of you will become incredibly strong, the power you both have will be united and create a force that could…tip the balance of this wretched war," Severus finished quietly.

"This is all so much to take in," Harry said with a sigh, rising from his seat, seemingly having inherited his father's habit for pacing. "I thought life was complicated before, but after Christmas, everything just seemed to go insane!" he said with a frustrated laugh. "I don't know what I ever did to warrant all of this."

"You were simply born," Severus said with a wry smile, rising also to stand next to his son. "We're all dealt a hand in this life, we have no control over the cards we get, but we _do_ have control over how we play them. I know whatever choices you make in this life, Harry, you'll make the right ones," he said, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Let's hope so, or we're all screwed," he replied with a slightly humourless smile.

"Foolish boy," said Severus, pulling him into a hug. "You're not alone in this, not by a long shot. You're surrounded by people that love and care for you and we'll do _anything_ to help you and keep you safe," he said, pulling back and looking him directly in the eye. "I promise I won't let anything happen to you, I failed you in the past, I will not do so again," he said, a somewhat pained expression ghosting over his face.

"You did _not_ fail me," Harry said forcefully. "You couldn't have helped what happened back then, everything you did was for my own good, I couldn't have asked for more, so don't you dare go blaming yourself and feeling guilty, you did all you could."

"It's just a shame that wasn't enough," Severus replied bitterly, turning away, but Harry grabbed his shoulder and swung him round to face him again.

"It was more than enough," he said softly. "I'm here aren't I? No doubt I wouldn't have been if you hadn't been protecting me all these years. The only thing I regret in all of this is that I didn't know about this years ago and I'm only now able to know my father. Please don't think that I blame you for any of this."

"Such a Gryffindor," said Severus with a smile. "You know, when you found out I was expecting you to tell me that you wanted nothing to do with me, that you'd hate me. I never expected any of this, I never expected to have my son back."

"We both deserved a second chance, Dad, don't waste it with guilt."

Severus nodded slowly, then asked, "Are you going to tell Draco about the situation?"

"I'm going to have to, I can't just bind myself to him without him knowing! That's going to be one hell of a conversation," he said, then gave a soft chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Severus inquired.

"Well, they say we're all waiting for our soulmates, well, I've found mine, literally."

"You'd better go and talk to him then," said Severus dryly, with an amused expression.

**xXxXx**


	19. New Developments

"Have you considered combining the hellebore and the dragon scale poison to from some kind of base? They both have very reactive properties and would work well together if combined. You'd have to be careful of course with the hellebore, only the slightest amount should be used or you'll be in danger of poisoning your patient. Let me see those equations you were working on earlier," Draco requested as he and Ginny sat in the common room, discussing the antidote. She had been sitting going over hers and Severus' notes when Draco had come in and asked what she was working on that had caused her to look so preoccupied and thoughtful. Knowing his aptitude for Potions, indeed most things, Ginny had explained the situation and they were now sitting together trying to progress further with the antidote.

"I _had_ considered that possibility and Severus and I were discussing it earlier, but we both thought that they were simply _too_ reactive to work well enough together."

"Did you just call him 'Severus'?" Draco asked with a questioning raise of an eyebrow.

Realising that she couldn't cover up her unconscious slip, she said, "Well we've been working so closely with each other, we just decided to operate on a first name basis, strictly in private though of course," she said, but she could tell that he didn't believe that that was simply all there was to it. "Anyway, we came to the conclusion that those two ingredients wouldn't provide a sufficient enough base, we're going to have to think of something else," she said, swiftly changing the subject. "But please, if you have anymore ideas, let me know, we can always use a fresh perspective."

Draco nodded and returned his attentions to the equations she had handed him, content for now to let the matter lie. He studied Ginny's meticulous notes and scribblings, impressed with the extent of her knowledge and so immersed in them, he almost didn't notice when he heard someone enter the common room. Looking up, he saw Harry standing in the doorway, a strange light in his eyes and an almost imperceptible smile playing about his lips. "What are you looking so pleased with yourself for?" he asked, as Harry continued to stand in the doorway, seeming to have no plans for moving.

"Come for a walk with me and I might just tell you," Harry replied, amazed at himself for managing to contain all the emotions and thoughts that were spinning round in his head.

"Very well," said Draco with a smirk. "I'll see you later, Ginny," he said, rising from his seat, joining Harry at the portrait hole. "Don't stay up all night thinking on the antidote, you'll tire yourself out," he warned and Harry smiled at the back of his head, pleased to see that he and Ginny were developing such a good relationship.

Ginny nodded and smiled, then returned her attention back to her notes as Harry and Draco made their way out of the common room. "Are you going to tell me what this is about?" asked Draco as he followed Harry through the corridors.

"Not yet," Harry replied with a smile, lacing his fingers with the blond's, wondering silently how he was going to take the information he was going to give him. He led Draco through the school and out to the quidditch pitch, not saying a word until he sat down amongst the bleachers and motioned for Draco to do the same. He took a deep breath, unsure of exactly what he was going to say, then began, "I went to talk to Dad earlier, about all this stuff with the Fianna and the prophecy. I…I had some questions about the other…the other soul, the one that I'm supposed to be united with."

At that, Draco's features darkened slightly and a frown settled across his brow. Deciding the best thing to do would be to continue, Harry said, "He told me that I would feel drawn to the other soul, and that my feelings would be strong, unquestionable, I would need to be with them all the time. He said that when I found them, our souls would be united and we'd begin to share power and feelings, perhaps even thoughts."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Draco asked, looking somewhat distressed by what Harry had just told him. "Are you trying to prepare me for when it happens and you have to go off with this other person? Do you think I want to hear all this?" he asked, standing up in frustration and turning his back on Harry.

"Drake, what I'm trying to tell you is that…I've already found the other person," Harry said softly.

Draco turned back round to face him, his expression torn between hurt and anger. "What?" he asked, barely above a whisper.

Sighing, Harry stood up and moved in front of him, taking his hand and looking him firmly in the eyes. "I said, I've found the other person," he said steadily. "It's you," he breathed.

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked in confusion.

"You know Drake, you're really not making this easy," Harry replied, torn between amusement and frustration. He rolled his eyes and pulled the blond down to sit next to him again. "_You_ are the other soul, I finally realised it tonight after talking to Dad. I _need_ to be with you, I feel closer to you than I've ever felt to anyone, we're connected in a way that I didn't even know was possible. Believe me when I say that it's you and only you, I know it, I _feel_ it."

"Harry you can't know that," Draco replied.

"I _do_, Draco, I know it, I've never been more certain of anything in my entire life."

"But how is it even possible?" Draco asked.

"I don't know, but Dad said that it can happen, that there's no reason why it can't be you, and it _is_ you Draco, you have to believe me."

"Ok, suppose, just suppose that it _is_ true – and I'm not saying I'm convinced mind, but if it _is_ true, what does it mean for us?" he asked, trying to view the situation calmly and logically, but fearing he was failing.

"Well, it means that we've already begun to 'unite' apparently," Harry began, unsure of how he was going to tell Draco the rest. "Also…"

"Yes?" Draco prompted.

""It means…that if we sleep together…we'll be bound…forever," Harry finished, the idea only just occurring to him that although _he_ had seen no problem with bonding to Draco, the blond might not be so keen on the idea. Draco paused for a moment, then stood up and moved to the edge of the bleachers, looking out onto the pitch, his brow furrowed in thought. Harry watched him, waiting in uneasy anticipation for his reaction, suddenly feeling more nervous than he could ever remember feeling in his life. He had, in effect, just put forward the idea of marriage. "Draco? Please say something before I go out of my mind," Harry requested, hoping he didn't sound as anxious as he felt.

"I…I'm going to have to think about this," he responded quietly, turning round to face Harry again, his expression somewhat troubled. "It's just a lot to take in, that's all, I need a bit of time to get my head round it."

Harry nodded, lowering his eyes to the ground, feeling utterly deflated and absolutely terrified that he had just ruined what was possibly the best thing that had ever happened to him. "I understand," he said flatly. "Just…let me know when you've decided what to do," he said, rising from his seat, wishing he was a million miles away from the situation. He had never felt so stupid in his entire life. "I'll see you back in the Tower."

"Harry wait," Draco began, but Harry was already making his way through the bleachers, down onto the Quidditch pitch. "Nice one, Draco. Really well done," he muttered, burying his head in his hands and wondering how on earth he was going to fix things.

**xXxXx**

"So you're saying they've fallen out?" asked Severus the following evening as he and Ginny were brewing a few simple potions for Madame Pomfrey's stock.

"Well I wouldn't say _that_ exactly, it's just that things have seemed really odd between them all day, sort of…tense, strained, definitely not their usual selves," she replied, adding the finishing touches to a batch of Pepper-Up-Potion, and wiping her hands on a discarded cloth. "Any ideas?" she asked, perching on a stool, glad to finally be able to sit down.

Severus regarded her for a moment, then pulled out another stool, coming to sit opposite her. "Harry believes Draco to be the other soul," he told her.

Her eyes widened slightly and she said, "Really? Is he sure?"

"He seems fairly certain," Severus replied. "There are certain implications if it is indeed the case, one of those being that he and Draco could become bound, and we're talking magical bonding here, meaning forever. Maybe Draco just isn't ready for that yet."

"You think that's why there's trouble between them?" she asked, resting her chin on her palm as she really began to feel how tired she was.

"Possibly, though with two teenage boys, who can say?" he asked dryly with a roll of his eyes. "You look worn out," he commented, noticing that she wasn't looking as bright as she normally did, and she was practically slumped over the work table, her eyes half-shut.

"Wow, you really know how to charm a girl," she said, but she had to admit he had a point if how exhausted she felt was any indication of how she looked.

"Why don't you go and get some sleep?" he asked gently.

"Because we have work to do and we're only about half way through, not to mention all the work we still have to do on the antidote. Plus, when that's all done, I have to go and finish three essays and prepare a presentation on the theory behind blocking spells. I don't have time for sleep," she finished with a sigh, running a hand through her hair.

"You won't have time for anything if you burn yourself out," he countered. "Why don't you go and get an hour's sleep then come back and we'll start again," he suggested. "You're in no state to do anything at the moment."

"There's no point going all the way back to Gryffindor, besides, I'd fall completely asleep and then you'd be left to do the work on your own. It's better that I stay here and carry on with it," she said, although the idea of sleep, however brief, was becoming more and more appealing.

Severus paused for a moment before saying, "You could just sleep here, there's a perfectly good bed next door, you might as well. I'll wake you after an hour or so."

Ginny hesitated, biting her lip for a moment, then said, "Isn't that a little risky? I mean what if someone comes down here? I'm fairly certain you don't let many of your students take naps in your quarters…unless there's something you'd like to tell me," she added with a raised eyebrow.

He smirked and rose from his seat, placing a hand on each of her shoulders. "No one's going to come down here, and even if they do, I can assure you, people aren't in the habit of checking my sleeping quarters. Now go, or do I have to carry you?" he asked with a wicked expression.

"Hmm, that would be rather nice actually," she answered with a sleepy smile. Getting off the stool and swaying slightly against Severus she said, "Fine, you've convinced me, I'll go, but promise you'll wake me after an hour?"

"I promise," he answered. Lowering his head slightly, he gave her a soft kiss before saying, "Now go, or I really _will_ carry you in there."

"Bully," she murmured, but a soft little smile played about her lips as she trudged wearily off to Severus' bedroom. She had the presence of mind to remove her shoes and outer robes before pulling back the covers and collapsing into the heavenly comfort of Severus' large four-poster bed. She pulled the duvet up to her chin and snuggled into the soft pillows, relishing the warmth as it enveloped her in a blissful haziness. The last thing she thought before she drifted off was how wonderful it was to fall asleep surrounded by Severus.

**xXxXx**

After ensuring that Ginny was well and truly asleep, and skilfully ignoring the feelings that had risen to the surface after seeing her in his bed, Severus finished off a couple more jobs, then went in search of his son. If Ginny had been right and he and Draco had indeed had a falling out, then he knew that Harry would need someone to talk to, and he hoped he would be able to fulfil that requirement.

He checked the usual haunts; the lake, the Astronomy Tower, even a few abandoned classrooms, but to no avail, he couldn't find a trace of him anywhere. Deciding he'd check one last place then call it a day, he made his way up to the 7th floor and the Room of Requirement. Upon entering, he could see nothing apart from a beaten old sofa and a pathetic, dwindling fire. He was about to turn around and call it day, when his unusually sensitive senses picked up on the tiniest of sounds. Smirking grimly, he took a couple of strides over to the sofa and deftly plucked the invisibility cloak from Harry. He wasn't a top spy for nothing.

"You know, when people conceal themselves under an invisibility cloak, that usually means they want to be left alone," said Harry, with a tired edge to his voice. He looked up into the concerned eyes of his father and said, "How did you know I was here?"

"Well I've looked everywhere else for you, here was my last shot. Besides, you're not as quiet as you think under this damn thing," he replied, gently throwing the cloak back to Harry, who rolled it up and placed it beside him, shifting along slightly to make way for Severus.

Taking the invitation, Severus took a seat next to him and eyed him critically, not entirely sure what he was going to say to the boy; fatherly comfort was not exactly his specialty. "Care to tell me what happened?" he asked.

"Was that a request or an order?" Harry asked sardonically, leaning his head back to rest on the top of the sofa. Severus merely raised an eyebrow in response, to which Harry sighed and said, "It just didn't go as well as I might have hoped. In fact, it didn't go _at all_ how I'd hoped."

Deciding it was best not to speak at this point and to just leave Harry to continue the story at his own pace, Severus remained silent and watched as the boy rubbed his neck agitatedly, presumably replaying what had happened in his head. Harry released another sigh and turned to look at his father. "I guess I just asked for more than he was ready to give," he said quietly. "I told him that I thought he was the other soul," he elaborated. "And then I explained the implications that carried, thinking that he'd be ok with it, like I was. He just told me that he needed to think it through, get his head round it and then I left, I couldn't bear the way he was looking at me, I just had to get out of there."

"And you haven't spoken since?" Severus asked.

"Barely. What little conversation we've had has been strained…tense. I just wish I knew what was going on in his mind, what he thinks of all this."

"Well you're never going to find out sitting up here are you? You can't just let these things fester, Harry, especially when it's this complicated. This is a lot for both of you to deal with, Draco obviously just needs a little time to adjust to the idea, that doesn't necessarily mean that he's adverse to it…probably just a little…overwhelmed at the moment."

"I just feel like such an idiot, things were going so well between us and I feel like I've ruined them, or at least set them back a good way! I just don't know what to do."

"Talk to him, it's the only thing you _can_ do, it's the only way you'll find out where you stand."

"I hate it when you're right."

**xXxXx**

Severus returned to his quarters and finished the work that he and Ginny had started earlier. When he had sent her to get some sleep, he had had no intention of waking her after an hour, determined that she would have at least _one_ night's peaceful sleep. If the only way to get her to comply had been to lie, Severus had been more than prepared to do just that.

After finishing up the rest of the work he had planned on doing, Severus indulged in a long, hot shower, then padded softly back to his bedroom, a towel securely round his waist. He cast a look towards Ginny, who was entwined in the duvet, her head nestled softly into Severus' pillow. Allowing himself the smallest of smiles, though he would never admit to such an expression, he sat down on the bed, his back to her as he roughly towelled his hair dry.

The dip of the bed must have woken her, as he felt her stir, then ask in a sleep-heavy voice, "What time is it?"

"Almost one," he answered, then as he saw she was about to remonstrate, said, "You needed to sleep and I wasn't about to wake you." He turned away from her and resumed drying his hair, hearing her emit a small noise, which could have been one of argument or resignation. He knew better than to question which.

Within the next few seconds, however, he knew he was most definitely forgiven, as he felt a small hand slide up his back and onto his shoulder, closely followed by a pair of warm lips at his neck. "I thought you were tired," he said with a smirk.

"I _was_ tired," she whispered, making her way from his neck to his jaw in achingly slow movements. "Now I'm perfectly rested, and ready for anything," she added, and he could feel the smile against his skin. "I was rather lonely in here all by myself, I needed some company," she said, as she gave a gently nip to his ear. With a growl, he flipped them round and pinned her gently underneath him.

"You're a tease," he murmured, before bringing his lips down to meet hers.

"Am not," she argued with a grin, as he moved to her throat. "You're only a tease if you don't intend to finish what you start," she whispered, suddenly becoming very aware that he was wearing only a towel. He stopped his ministrations and raised his head to look her in the eyes.

"Ginny, are you saying that – " he began to ask, but was cut off by her placing a finger upon his lips.

"I'm not a child," she said, almost inaudibly. "But…there _are_ some things that you need to know before…_if_…we do this," she said softly.

He gave her a searching look for a moment, then nodded and said, "Just a minute," before disappearing into the bathroom, emerging a moment later in a more modest bathrobe to replace the towel. Rejoining her on the bed, he said, "Now what are these things I need to know?"

She shifted slightly, more to buy herself some more time, rather than to get comfortable. She wanted him to know, she felt he deserved to, she just didn't know how to tell him. She took a breath and resumed eye contact with him, finding an odd comfort in the inky black orbs. "I um…I don't really know how I'm meant to tell you all of this," she said quietly and he reached out to trace a finger down her cheek.

"Just go slowly," he said gently. "There's no rush. Whatever you have to tell me, it won't change anything," he said, really hoping that it wouldn't.

She gave him a small smile and nodded, emitting a small sigh before saying, "If we were to…well…you wouldn't be…my first. Now wait before you say anything," she said, seeing his expression. "It isn't as simple as that," she continued quietly. "I'm not talking about some fumble in a classroom after hours, although that would have been…preferable to what actually happened." Thankful that he didn't question that comment, she carried on, feeling the knot in her stomach tighten. "It was the summer holidays and I went to go and stay with friends for a little while, but I left a couple of days early and went to go and stay in Diagon Alley, I just needed some time on my own, away from everyone and everything.

"One night I went out and ended up in a bar a few streets away from Knockturn Alley, not the best of ideas I know," she added sardonically. "Anyway, a man came up to me and started talking; at first I thought I'd humour him, but after I discovered his repartee consisted of nothing more than lewd remarks and misogynistic comments, I soon began to show him just how much his company was offending me. But he wouldn't let it go, he bought me a drink, started getting a bit pushy, hurt pride I suppose, anyway…I didn't think anything of the whole situation until my vision started to blur and my mind felt fuzzy. He'd spiked it, I don't know with what and I don't remember too much, just…a room…and him." She gave a bitter laugh. "Consent was…dubious at best," she said, her eyes a little distant, focused on some non-existent point beyond Severus, or indeed anything. "Not exactly the ideal first time." She gave herself a shake and hastily wiped away the few tears that were threatening to fall onto her cheeks. Finally summoning up the courage to look at him again, she raised her eyes to meet his, slightly apprehensive of what she might find.

"Fuck," he breathed, and his expression was one that appeared to be torn between pain and anger. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" he asked softly, and she noticed he shifted away from her slightly. "I would never have presumed to…"

"Severus this is exactly why I didn't tell you," she interjected gently, placing a hand on his cheek. "I didn't want you to treat me differently, I didn't tell you to change things between us, I told you because I wanted you to know, I want you know everything," she whispered, moving her thumb back and forth over his cheekbone. "Please don't be afraid to touch me," she half implored, moving closer to him, wanting to feel him next to her, to feel his warmth and the familiarity of his arms. She sighed in relief and gratitude when he gently pulled her into his lap, wrapping her in a firm embrace, his long fingers gently caressing her hair. "Please tell me this doesn't change anything between us," she murmured into his chest.

"It changes nothing, not if you don't want it to. I only wish I knew what to say."

Ginny emitted a soft laugh and said, "Our esteemed Potions Master lost for words? I never thought I'd see the day." She looked up and kissed him softly, then said, "I don't need fine words or fine sentiments, I just need to know…that you're here."

"I am," he replied gently, pulling her closer, settling a hand at the base of her neck as he leant down and kissed her. She felt the warmth wash over her as her body was pressed against his, her arms looping round his neck as he continued his slow, sweet kisses. Needing more, she insinuated herself further into his lap and reached for the buttons on his shirt. He broke away, looking searchingly at her before saying, "If you don't want this – "

"I would have left already," she assured him. "I'm serious about this, about us, I thought you knew that already."

"I just want you to be sure," he said, and she could see the uncertainty in his own eyes.

"I'm sure, I have been for a long time. This is what I want, Severus, _you_ are what I want. Haven't you figured it out by now?" she asked with a small smile. "I'm in love with you," she whispered, hardly believing that she had summoned the courage to finally tell him. She had known for some time that her feelings for him went deeper than mere liking and attraction, but it was only then, as she sat in his warm, protective embrace that she truly realised the extent of what she felt for him. She met his onyx eyes openly, without regret or apology, letting him see the truth behind her words. He searched her face for a few moments, his expression unreadable, then gently brushed the hair from her face as he replied,

"And I with you."

Her face broke into a beautiful smile and she nestled her head in the crook of his neck, relishing in the feeling of coming home. She felt him begin to speak and she looked up and placed a finger to his lips, saying, "No, no more words tonight, enough have been said."

"What would you have me do instead?" he asked, with the ghost of a smirk.

She smiled and leant down until her lips were level with his ear and whispered, "Make love to me."

"With pleasure," he replied, turning them over so she was once again pinned underneath him. "If at any time you wish me stop – "

"Believe me when I say I won't," she said, pulling him down into a searing kiss, ensuring that no more words were said that night. At least, no more coherent ones.

**xXxXx**

Draco sat in the Gryffindor common room, staring morosely into the dying embers of the fire. He had been utterly miserable since the argument with Harry; he needed to be with him, and it was murder being apart from him. He was now truly beginning to believe that he was the other soul, he had never felt so connected to another human being in his life, he felt lost without Harry, incomplete and miserably alone. He sighed and kicked the table in frustration.

"What did that table ever do to you?" he heard a voice ask, and he turned his head to see Ron standing at the bottom of the stairs, an amused but enquiring look on his face. "What's got you so wound up?" he asked, coming to sit on the sofa a little way along from Draco. "I wouldn't have anything to do with a certain green-eyed saviour of the wizarding world who's also been looking like the end of the world's around the corner now would it?"

"However did you guess?" Draco replied, resisting the urge to kick the table once more, his foot was still hurting from his last bout of anger. "What are you doing down here anyway?"

"Couldn't sleep, it's a usual occurrence these days. However, we weren't talking about me, what the hell is up with you and Harry? And don't worry, I'm not about to go blaming it all on you, I can tell you're just as miserable," Ron said, looking straight at the blond, with a look that almost bordered on concern. When it became apparent that Draco wasn't going to offer a reply of any kind, Ron sighed and said, "Fine, if you're not going to tell me what happened I can understand that, but at least tell me that you'll try and sort it out with Harry."

"Why do you even care? You hate me," Draco said flatly.

"Not true," Ron replied simply and leant back in the sofa, propping his feet up on the abused table. "I haven't really hated you since 6th year. When we came back this year you'd changed so much, you were so quiet, so withdrawn, it was almost impossible to hate you. It was obvious you'd changed. As to why I care, Harry's my friend, my best friend, and I care about _him_, which means I care about this situation. I don't want to see him unhappy and at the moment he is. Just…try and sort it out ok? For both your sakes," Ron added with a wry smile.

Draco rolled his eyes and asked, "Since when did you become the resident agony aunt?

"Since I had to deal with my crazy Boy-Who-Lived best mate and his temperamental Slytherin boyfriend. Anyway, that's enough unsolicited advice from me for one night, I'm going back to bed, see if I can get at least a couple of hours sleep before morning. I hope it gets sorted, I really do," he said, rising to his feet and heading towards the stairs. "Goodnight, Draco."

"Goodnight Wea…goodnight, Ron," Draco replied, resuming his activity of staring into the fire once Ron had disappeared up the staircase. It was all very well to tell him to sort it out, he thought, but how on earth was he supposed to do that? Deciding that another swift kick to the table almost certainly wouldn't help, he pushed himself up off the sofa and headed towards the staircase, intending to return to his room to try and mull over the situation. As he placed a foot on the first stair, he heard the portrait hole open and he turned round to find Harry standing there, shifting awkwardly and looking uncomfortable.

"Hi," he said softly.

"Well that was going to be my opener," Draco replied just as softly. Harry gave a small smile and moved further into the room, the portrait hole shutting behind him, like an indication that they were both there in the room and there would be no escape until they had resolved the situation. "Harry I – "

"No please," Harry interrupted. "Please let me go first. There are some things I need to say and if I don't say them now I'm scared I never will," he said, then moved over to the sofa, indicating for Draco to join him. After a moment's silence in which Harry tried to arrange his thoughts into some sort of coherency, he finally said, "I've handled things terribly, I shouldn't have just sprung it on you the way I did, it's just that I hadn't really thought everything through, I just left Dad and came straight to see you. I should have given it more time, got things sorted in my own mind before I spoke to you. I didn't mean to scare you away, I really didn't, I was just thoughtless and I – "

"Harry please stop before one of us goes crazy," Draco said in amused exasperation. "Now it's your turn to listen," he said softly. "If you've handled things terribly, that must mean I've handled them catastrophically. I should really explain why I behaved the way I did, and it was anything you did, honestly, it's just…oh I don't really know how to explain myself," he said, moving from the sofa to the fireplace in agitation. "Harry I love you, don't doubt that for one minute, I love you more than I tell you, it's just that…I was…I was scared I guess," he said quietly, his grey eyes going to the floor.

"Harry I don't understand this, I don't understand love. Up until now I've never been shown it, and I'm pretty sure I've never felt it; it frightened me to be dealing with something so overwhelming, so…huge. When you talked about bonding…I don't know, it just seemed like something I wouldn't be able to cope with, even something I didn't deserve. People like me…we're not supposed to get happy endings, Harry, we don't expect them, so when you came along, practically offering the world, I didn't know what to do. Do you…am I making any sense at all?" he asked, finally turning to face Harry again.

The brunette sighed and rose to his feet, moving over to the fireplace to stand in front of Draco. "I understand, I and I should have taken all that into account before I told you everything Dad told me. But," he said, taking Draco's hand in his own. "You _do_ deserve a happy ending, and I'm determined to give you one…one day. I know you're scared, so am I, I don't understand this whole thing either, but we'll get through it, we'll be fine. We can just take things slowly, I'm not planning on going anywhere, we have plenty of time."

**xXxXx**

Severus lay in silence, contemplating the small form lying peacefully in his arms. He had awoken with the dawn, as he usually did, but rather than setting to his morning routine, he had simply stayed where he was, content to lie with Ginny curled against him. He was surprised at how tranquil and unperturbed he was feeling, having expected to wake and feel at least a tinge of regret about what had happened. He placed a kiss on her shoulder and gently trailed a finger up and down her arm, his mind starting to wander languidly.

How had this girl become such a part of his life? When had she come to mean so much to him? He unconsciously pulled her closer to him and placed his chin on her shoulder, relishing in the contact. He hadn't realised just how much he had actually missed simple human contact; when one is deprived of something for so long, one simply learns to do without, but then to be given it back again after so long was almost overwhelming. Now she was in his life, well and truly, and he had no desire to remedy the situation, none whatsoever.

"Severus, stop thinking so loudly," her amused voice broke into his thoughts, her eyes remaining closed.

"And how did you know I was thinking?" Severus asked.

"When do you ever do anything else?" she replied, opening her eyes and looking up at him in sleepy contentment. She turned round in his arms so she could look at him with more ease. "Do we have to get up?" she asked with a mock pout.

"I'm afraid so, unless you'd rather stay here all morning and have Dumbledore come and look for us. Somehow I rather feel that would spoil things, don't you?"

"Why must you always be so practical?" she asked in mock annoyance. Sighing, she said, "Very well, I suppose I'll submit to harsh reality, accio robe!", and Severus' bathrobe came flying towards her.

"I didn't mean you had to get up this very minute," he protested as she proceeded to pull on the robe and rise from the bed. "We have plenty of time before either of us has to surface," he assured her, resting on his elbows, watching as she gathered her things from around his room.

"Nevertheless, I'm in the mood for a long, hot shower, and unfortunately, that requires getting out of bed," she said, picking her blouse and heading for the bathroom. "Now don't sulk, Severus, it makes you look like a 5-year-old," she said with a teasing wink over her shoulder before disappearing into the bathroom.

It was an elegant room, as were all of Severus' quarters. She padded over to the bath and turned the shower on, turning it up to its full heat. Slipping off the bathrobe, she stepped in and stood under the hot spray, letting it revive her and seep into her muscles. She was all too aware of the smile that seemed determined to plaster itself to her face, regardless of how much she tried to remove it. She tried to be annoyed with herself, telling herself that it was stupid to feel so happy; things couldn't stay this good for long, nothing ever did. Still, she couldn't seem to discourage herself from feeling extremely content about her situation.

She spent the next half an hour in there, remembering the fact that he had told her he loved her, and replaying the events of the night in her mind. The only regret she had was that _that_ hadn't been her first time, still, it was impossible to change what had happened, and although she would always regret it, she could at least try and forget it, knowing now that it could be different, that not all mean would treat her that way.

Still smiling, she turned the shower off and stepped out, grabbing a towel off the rail. She quickly dried herself and dressed in her school robes. Checking her appearance in the mirror one last time, she then walked back into the bedroom, rolling her eyes when she saw that Severus was still in bed. "Do you plan on getting up at all today?" she asked.

"Well, considering _some_one's been in my bathroom for the past half an hour, I didn't really have much choice _but_ to stay in bed now did I?" he replied with a raised eyebrow. "I trust you're finished?"

"No, I'm still in the shower, can't you tell?" she replied cheekily, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I'm concerned about the lack of respect with which you address me, Miss Weasley," he said severely, fixing her with a disapproving glare.

"Oh? And what do you plan on doing about it, Professor?" she asked, her expression perfectly innocent, her tone decidedly not. "Punishment maybe?" she asked, leaning closer.

"Perhaps," he replied, then without warning, pulled her down on top of him, smirking at the shocked cry of surprise that left her lips as she fell. She pushed herself up slightly so she could look him in the eyes and his expression grew more serious. Pushing her hair behind her ear, he asked, "No regrets?".

She smiled down at him and gave him a chaste kiss. "No regrets," she confirmed.


	20. Waiting Game

**AN:** Hey all, sorry I've taken so long getting this chapter out, but life has just been hectic lately! I've had A-levels, coupled with starting a new job, plus a suddenly exploded social life…so things have been a little on the crazy side with not much time left over for writing!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter and big huge thanks as always to my one-of-a-kind BETA **XxRoGuExHeArTxX** who's an absolute star. Love you sweetie!

Thanks to **Bad fairy **and **Tamuríl Linwëlin **who reviewed without signing in and so I obviously couldn't use the review response thingy. Your comments were very much appreciated. As to your questions about my knowledge of the Fianna, **Tamuríl Linwëlin**, most of what I was able to find out came from a few mythology books I have and from typing 'Fianna' into wikipedia. There's quite a lot of history round it and I just basically twisted it to suit my own purposes! It's quite interesting though, as is most mythology!

Anyway without further ado, enjoy….

**xXxXx**

Harry made his way down the stairs into the common room, rubbing sleepily at his eyes, taking care not to miss a step in his half-asleep state. He saw Ron and Hermione sitting on the sofa, their heads bent over something, troubled looks on their faces. "Hey guys, something wrong?" he asked as he approached them.

They turned to look at him, the worry plainly evident in their eyes. He frowned questioningly and Hermione resignedly handed him a newspaper. Fearing what he might see, he paused for a moment, then looked down at the front page. Blazoned in huge black letters were the words, _'Surrey attacked, hundreds dead'_.

"Harry," came Hermione's gentle voice. "The Dursleys…they're dead, they were the first people to…fall, but the Death Eaters killed so many; muggles, muggle-borns, half-bloods. It's…well…" she trailed off, glancing across at Ron, who looked equally disturbed by the report. "I'm sorry, Harry," Hermione said. "I know you weren't exactly close to them, but…still."

Harry felt uncomfortably numb about the fact his relatives were dead. He felt that he should feel _something_, but there was nothing, just emptiness. He shook himself and raised his eyes from the paper to look at his friends. "I don't think any tears will be wasted on them. We should be more concerned with the attack itself," he said, a little surprised at how cold his voice sounded. "For Voldemort to do this…things are getting bad," he said, his eyes becoming slightly distant as he contemplated the attack.

Hermione looked slightly taken aback at the lack of concern Harry was showing about his relatives, but quickly masked it as she said, "You're right. Dumbledore probably already knows about this, we should go and talk to him, ask him what he thinks it means, if it signifies anything. Somehow I can't see the answer being 'no'," she said grimly.

"Something wrong?" came Ginny's voice and they turned to see her enter the common room, her robes looking a little dishevelled, as if she hadn't changed them. Hermione handed her the newspaper, scrutinising her appearance, but saying nothing. Ginny read the report then looked up at the others, her expression mirroring theirs.

"This is awful," she said. "If he's taking steps as big as this…it means the war isn't far away. Bloody hell," she breathed, sitting down on a nearby chair, feeling suddenly very drained.

"Maybe I should go and speak to Dad first, he might have been there," said Harry, the thought suddenly occurring to him.

"No he wasn't, he doesn't know anything about it," said Ginny without thinking, then looked up at the three people looking at her questioningly. 'Shit,' her mind helpfully provided. How was she going to explain that one? 'Of course he wasn't there, I was sleeping with him at the time' – she could see that one going down really well. "I…um…I was working with him late last night…on the antidote. If this report is correct, he was with me at the time the attacks occurred," she said, keeping her eyes focused on the paper in her lap rather than looking at the others. She didn't know if she trusted herself enough to look them in the eyes, especially Harry, he seemed to have a special talent at looking straight through her, something she definitely couldn't afford. "Anyway, you're right; we _should_ go and talk to him, see what he makes of it. Tell you what, I'll go and talk to him now, Harry, you find Draco and bring him down to the dungeons and Ron and Hermione, you two go and talk to Dumbledore, then we'll compare notes, see where we stand."

Everyone agreed and they parted ways, Ginny almost flying down to the dungeons. She didn't bother to knock, simply muttered the password, which he had given her previously and swept into his quarters. "Severus? Severus are you here?" she called, searching each room, feeling a tightness in her chest about the whole situation.

"Ginny?" came his voice. "What's wrong, what are you doing here?" he asked, emerging from the living room.

"Have you seen the paper today?" she asked. He shook his head, telling her he hadn't, and she grimly handed it over to him, studying his expression as he read the report. His jaw clenched tightly and he threw the paper down on a nearby table, his expression troubled and grave.

"This isn't good," he said after a while, turning to face her, looking decidedly paler than usual. She nodded and was about to step closer to him when the floo sounded and Harry and Draco stepped out of the fireplace.

"I take it Ginny's told you then," said Harry and Severus nodded. "What does it mean? Why weren't you there? I thought you were part of Voldemort's inner circle," he said with a frown.

"I am," Severus said grimly. "There's simply no reason behind it. I _should_ have been there last night, or at least _informed_ that such an attack was going to take place. I need to find out why I wasn't," he said, and Ginny didn't like the look of determined resolve she saw in his eye.

"What are you going to do?" she asked, looking him directly in the eye.

"I'm going to meet with a few fellow Death Eaters," he replied, sweeping past her to get his cloak.

"You can't!" she protested, following him, fear settling in the pit of her stomach. "If you weren't involved in what happened last night then there's a reason behind that, a reason that could put you in very real danger! Have you stopped to consider the possibility that they've discovered you're a spy? If you go back to them, who knows what they might do? Please, please don't go," she implored, the desperation and worry plainly evident in her voice.

"Ginny I have to," he replied, missing the look on both Harry and Draco's faces as the two watched the interaction between himself and Ginny. "I need to find out what's going on, I need to know what this means…for all of us."

"Then wait, if it's something important you're bound to find out in time. Severus," she said, taking hold of his hand, completely forgetting in her panic that they weren't alone in the room. "Trouble will find us, there's no doubt about that, but please don't go looking for it, please don't place yourself in that kind of danger," she begged.

"I have to go," he replied, but he didn't move from where he was standing, nor did he remove her hand from his.

"No you don't!" she half cried, her anger winning through as her fear for his safety increased. "You could stay here, wait it out and see what happens. If you go now you risk everything, they could kill you, Severus! Obviously something's happening, something potentially very dangerous, and you're just going to walk into it, offer yourself to them? If you care anything for…for us," she said, catching herself just in time. "You won't go."

"I have to," he repeated, though he hated the look he saw in her eyes.

"Fine," she said, bitterness ringing in her voice. "You go, I'll await the return of your lifeless body," and with that she stormed out of the dungeons, angry tears gathering in her eyes.

Harry stood stunned. He had never seen anyone speak to his father that way, no one who'd lived to tell the tale anyway. Severus suddenly seemed to remember that he wasn't alone in the room and he turned to look at the two boys, both of whom looked rather shocked by the spectacle they had just witnessed. "Would one of you please make sure that Miss Weasley is alright?" asked Severus, trying to regain his composure, but still sounding a little unsteady. "I would also appreciate it if you could inform the headmaster of my whereabouts, as I will obviously not be able to teach today," he requested, moving over to the door.

Harry nodded slowly, looking pale and worried. "Please be careful," he implored, knowing it would do no good to try and dissuade his father from going; his mind was well and truly made up and nothing anybody said was going to change it.

"Sound advice, though a little unnecessary," he replied with a wry smile, pausing in the doorway. "Don't wait up," was his last attempt at lightening the mood before he turned and swept out of the room.

As Harry watched him leave, he felt Draco's hand come to rest on his shoulder. He turned to face him and offered a watery smile, worry still plainly etched in his face. "He'll come back, he always does," Draco said by way of assurance. "I know it's not easy, but try not to worry, it won't do any good. I'll go and see if Ginny's alright. Will you be ok for a bit?" he asked.

Harry nodded and replied, "I'll be fine, I should go and tell Dumbledore. What do you think was wrong with Gin?"

"Who knows?" Draco replied with a shrug, though his manner suggested he actually did. "I'll come and find you later," he said, giving him a quick peck on the lips before setting off in search of the youngest Weasley. Deciding that she wouldn't have gone back to the common room, as she was probably seeking solitude, he headed outside, hoping his search would be a short one. His feet took him to the Quidditch pitch, the lake, the edge of the forest and finally up a little-used path that came out at the top of the cliffs. Breathing heavily from the ascent, he halted and saw Ginny stood at the edge, looking decidedly miserable.

"You know," he breathed out, "it's a little cliché to stand on a windy cliff-top when you're jaded and angry."

Ginny turned, her face unreadable as she looked at him. "Draco, I really just want – "

"To be alone right now? Yeah I got that, but I don't think it's the best idea; you're in no state to be left on your own. You're angry and upset and obviously extremely worried, all of which doesn't contribute to healthy alone-time. You want to tell me what was with the extreme reaction?" he asked gently.

She sighed and moved away from the cliff-edge to stand in front of him. His eyes searched hers for answers, ones that she was reluctant to give. "I just…don't want him to get hurt, that's all," she said softly, terrified that she would betray herself and expose her secret. "We…work together, he's a…colleague and…a member of the Order, of course I don't want to see anything happen to him," she said feebly, averting her eyes from the scrutinising grey ones fixed upon her.

"Ginny," he said softly, "you and I both know there's more to it than that."

"I don't know what you mean," she replied, still refusing to meet his eyes.

"Yes you do," he said gently, lifting her chin so she would finally look at him. "How long has it been going on for?" he asked levelly. For a moment it looked as though she was going to try and deny it, but something inside her seemed to give way and she lowered her head once more, emitting a quiet,

"A while now."

Draco took her hand and led her away from the edge to sit down in a less precarious place and waited in patient silence for her to continue, not wanting to press her into telling him what he really knew, or had guessed, anyway. Finally, after a long pause, she said, "We just couldn't help it, it just…happened I suppose. The more time I spent with him, the more I realised that I'd begun to see him differently, that I respected and admired him. Then it…became more. We'd spent so much time together, just the two of us, and I felt like I'd finally been given the chance to see the real man, not the Potions Master or the Death Eater or any of the million and one masks he has, I just saw _him_…and I liked what I saw.

"One night I just couldn't stand it anymore and I kissed him, and he reciprocated…that is…before he broke away and decided what we were doing was wrong and could never happen again. Needless to say, that idea didn't last too long," she said with a somewhat sheepish smile. "We've been meeting at every opportunity we can, but it's been so difficult, even the slightest lingering gaze in the hallway could spark off suspicions and lead us into Merlin knows what kind of trouble. But we can't seem to stop it. Truth be told, we don't want to. I know we shouldn't be doing this, I know there are a plenty of reasons why we shouldn't be together, but I just can't care, not when I'm with him, not when I feel like this."

She looked up at him, fierce tears in her eyes and whispered, "I love him Draco, I love him so much, and I'm terrified that he's not going to come back," and with that she finally let the tears fall, wracking her body with harsh sobs and she tried to control herself, but failed against the onslaught of emotion that suddenly overwhelmed her.

"Ssh, it's alright," he soothed, drawing her into a comforting embrace. His suspicions had been confirmed; he had believed that _some_thing had been going on between the two, but he hadn't realised the extent of it or just how deeply they were in. "He'll be fine, he's done this countless time before, he knows what he's doing."

"Oh I've seen how he knows what he's doing!" she said, pulling back slightly. "I've been there when he's returned from one of those meetings, half dead, bleeding, beaten, broken, and that was when they still believed him loyal! What the hell do you think they'll do to him if they think he isn't!" she asked, her anxiety almost bordering on hysteria. "I'm so afraid he's not going to come back to me," she breathed, her voice barely audible.

"Ginny listen to me," Draco said sternly, holding her by the shoulders and looking her determinedly in the eyes. "He's going to be fine, he knows what he's doing and he _will_ come back. You have to believe in that, Ginny, you have to hold on to that faith. He'll come back because he wouldn't have gone if he didn't think he'd return to you."

Ginny nodded, but he could tell she didn't really believe his words and, in all honesty, he wasn't sure he believed them himself. He knew Severus, knew his temperament; he knew that he would risk all if it were asked of him, even if that meant sacrificing his own life.

"You won't tell anyone will you?" she asked, the fear showing in her eyes.

He shook his head and gave her a gentle smile. "Of course not, but you _do_ realise that people are going to find out eventually, it's not the kind of thing that stays a secret very long. You're going to have to face this at some point."

"I know, but I'm just not ready to deal with it now. I can't begin to imagine what's going to happen when everyone finally knows. Just think about my family…and Harry…Merlin what the hell is _he_ going to make of all this? He's going to hate me," she finished, drawing her knees up to her chest.

"He won't hate you," Draco assured her. "He might take some time understanding, he might be angry and upset for a while, but he won't hate you, I promise you that."

Giving her one last smile he rose to his feet and held out his hand to her. "Now come on, let's head back to the castle, you shouldn't be out here on your own, if anything else it'll make people start to suspect something. Keep yourself busy today; you won't help him or yourself by dwelling on it and conjuring up all sorts of ideas as to what may have happened. He'll be back, you mark my words," he said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

"But _how_ will he be back?" she murmured as he led her off back down the path.

**xXxXx**

Draco walked Ginny back to the dungeons and instructed her to continue working on the antidote to occupy herself with, rather than sitting and waiting for news of Severus. He then made his way back to Gryffindor to see if Harry had returned from speaking with Dumbledore, and what news he had received if he had.

Seeing that he wasn't in the common room, he climbed the stairs to his room and entered after knocking briefly, seeing Harry sat as his desk, staring pensively into space. "Mind if I come in?" Draco asked, shutting the door behind him.

"No, no of course not," he replied, shaking himself out of his reverie and gesturing for Draco to take a seat on the bed. "How's Ginny? Did you find out what was wrong with her?"

"She's fine, she's back working on the antidote. I think she was just overcome with events; naturally she's worried about Severus and about what this all means. She just needed a little time on her own to get some air and clear her mind, get herself together again," he said, feeling guilty for lying to Harry, but knowing that he could not betray Ginny's confidence. "Did you speak to Dumbledore?" he asked, anxious to change the subject.

Harry nodded and moved over to sit next to Draco on the bed. "He's as concerned about it as I was. He thinks that such an open attack signifies the start of something more, something bigger. He also said that the murder of the Dursleys could be interpreted as some kind of message, a warning to me," said Harry, his voice becoming flatter as he averted his eyes.

"How are you dealing with that?" Draco asked gently.

Harry gave a small shrug and moved over to the window, saying, "I don't really know. I keep thinking that I should be feeling _some_thing, _any_thing, but I just don't, I can't. I feel completely…indifferent to their deaths. What does that say about me?" Harry asked quietly, turning back to face Draco.

Draco sighed and walked over to the troubled brunet. Taking Harry's hand in his own, he looked him in the eyes and said, "It doesn't say anything. I wouldn't expect you to mourn their deaths, not after everything they put you through, but, knowing you as I do, nor would I expect you to take pleasure in it. What's left but indifference? They weren't your family, Harry, Merlin knows you had no loyalty to them. You can't be expected to mourn everyone that falls in this war."

Harry gave him a wan smile and raised a hand to Draco's cheek, brushing the high cheekbone with his thumb. "What would I do without you?" he asked softly.

"I shudder to think," Draco replied with gentle amusement. "Now come on, we have classes to get to."

"I don't really feel like going, I might call a sickie instead."

"And spend the day locked away in here brooding? I don't think so. You need to keep yourself busy, get your mind off the situation. I know if given half the chance you'll worry yourself to distraction thinking about Severus and the attack on Surrey, doing yourself no good in the process and working yourself into a state. Now get your things together and let's go."

Harry looked as though he was on the verge of arguing but then nodded and said, "I suppose you're right, I just don't think I'm going to be able to concentrate much on anything at the moment."

"I'm not asking you to be Hermione, just to keep occupied today. Anything's better than moping up here on your own."

"Again I ask – what would I do without you?"

**xXxXx**

Ginny closed the book before her with a resounding thud, leaning her head back against the chair and sighing in frustration. It wasn't working, nothing she did would take her mind off Severus and what might be happening to him. It was all very well Draco telling her to keep busy, to distract herself, but how the hell was she supposed to do that when the man she loved was Merlin-knew-where suffering Merlin-knew-what?

Rubbing the bridge of her nose, she stood up and, resisting the urge to start pacing, moved into Severus' bedroom. She heaved another sigh as she sat down on the bed, rubbing her hand back and forth over the duvet, trying to gain some sort of comfort but finding none. "Pull yourself together, Gin," she murmured sternly to herself. "You're not doing anyone any good."

Giving herself a firm shake, she decided to renew her efforts with the antidote. She was pretty sure she was beginning to make some headway with it, and besides, it _would_ give her something to do, even though she was incredibly distracted. This was a necessity though, people's lives depended on this antidote and so she sat back down at the desk in Severus' lab and opened the book she had earlier shut so violently, now feeling more generous towards it. She wasn't able to help Severus, wherever he was and whatever he was going through, but she _could_ further the work they had done so far. She was close, she just needed some sort of breakthrough and she was sure she would have her answer.

**xXxXx**

"By George I think she's got it," Ginny whispered as an irrepressible grin spread across her face. She bit her lip and stared down at the scribblings in front of her, hardly daring to believe that she might just have cracked it. "Bloody hell, this could really be it!" she exclaimed, jumping up and up-ending the chair in her excitement. She was about to go and race up to Dumbledore's office, when the floo sounded and Harry stepped through, closely followed by Draco.

Before they had a chance to speak, she said, "I think I've done it!", the excitement practically beaming from her face.

"Done what?" asked Harry in confusion.

"I think I've cracked the antidote. It's so ridiculous, the answer was staring me in the face the entire time! I can't believe I didn't just – "

But the rest of her sentence was cut off as a noise from the fireplace drew their attention away. They all watched in stunned silence as the barely conscious, barely alive form of Severus Snape came tumbling through the fireplace.

"Dad!" cried Harry, and all three were at Severus' side in an instance. His breathing was shallow and coming in short, quick rasps, which obviously pained him. He was having difficulty keeping his eyes open and he seemed to be teetering on the brink of consciousness. He was covered in blood, his robes torn and ruined, soaked with rain and mud.

"Oh my God," Ginny whispered, her eyes clouding with tears at the sight of him. "What did you let them do to you?" she murmured, tenderly pushing the hair off his face. She was terrified, almost to the point where she couldn't move. She had never seen anyone so damaged, so bloodied and beaten, and she had certainly never been so afraid of losing anyone as she was at that moment. "We have to get him to a bed, help me lift him," she commanded, forcing herself to regain her senses, her instinct to save him overriding her fear of losing him.

"Wouldn't it just be easier to levitate him?" asked Harry, sounding just as panicked as she felt.

She shook her head and said, "Merlin knows what kind of damage he's suffered, any kind of unnecessary magic could exacerbate his condition."

Harry nodded his acquiescence and he, Ginny and Draco lifted Severus as gently as they could and moved him into his bedroom, placing him gingerly on the bed. "I'll send for Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey," said Draco, rushing out of the room to do so.

Kneeling down at Severus' bedside and lifting a hand lovingly to his face, Ginny said gently, "Severus, Severus can you hear me? Please, if you can, please try and answer me. I need to know what happened to you, I need to help you."

The effort of barely remaining conscious seemed to be costing the man a great deal, and Ginny wasn't even sure he knew where he was, but he managed to rasp out, "Curse," before collapsing back against the pillows and sinking into oblivion.

**xXxXx**

**AN:** Well you guys know what to do – hit the review button and let me know what you think! Love you all :-) xXx


	21. Revelations

**AN: Ok, I know it's been such a long time, but things have just been manic since I started uni so I hope you can all forgive me and enjoy the chapter anyway!**

**Also, I'm on the look out for a new BETA, XxRoGuExHeArTxX unfortunately has too many commitments at the moment to be able to dedicate herself fully to it, so if anyone wants to oblige, please email me or say so in a review : )**

**Hope you like….**

**XXXXXX**

"Oh my god," Ginny breathed, fear and terror taking over her body, making it almost impossible for her to think clearly. Her breathing quickened and she felt a sickness overwhelm her.

"Ginny?" Harry said, looking over at her with fear and confusion plainly evident in his eyes. "Ginny what does he mean 'curse'?" he asked, his voice full of panic.

"The…the one we're making the antidote for," she replied. "If we don't find a cure for it…he'll die," she said, her voice barely above a whisper as she leant down and brushed the bloodied, matted hair from Severus' face. Realising she needed to act, and quickly, she inhaled deeply and tried to pull herself together. "We should….we should get these things off him, try and see the extent of the damage," she said, trying to gain some control, but feeling she was failing miserably. "It…it might not be as bad as we…" she trailed off, her voice faltering as she fought back tears.

"Come on Gin," Harry said, placing a firm hand on her shoulder, "we've got to hold ourselves together if we're going to make sure he comes through this."

She gave a silent nod, willing herself to pull herself together; she couldn't fall apart, not when he needed her so much. Part of her just wanted to panic and break down, thoroughly unable to cope with the situation she found herself in, but she knew she had to be strong, she had to come through this.

"Miss Wesley, Mr Potter, what's going on here?" came Dumbledore's voice as he, Pomfrey and Draco came into the room, all looking equally worried.

Seeing that Ginny seemed unable to speak at that moment, Harry stepped forward and said, "He's been hit by the curse sir, he's just lost consciousness…he's…he could…." like Ginny, he trailed off, unable to utter his appalling thoughts. Draco moved over to him and placed an arm around his shoulders, trying to soothe his distress.

"I see," Dumbledore replied, his tone grave and his expression serious. "Poppy, what can you – "

"There's nothing she can do," Ginny said, her voice oddly calm and determined. She looked up at the group before her and said, "Professor Snape and I were working on the antidote for this curse, nothing but that can help him now. I think I've figured it out, so I'm going to go into the lab and start working on it. Madame Pomfrey, the best thing you can do now is clean him up and make sure he's comfortable."

She moved to go into the lab, but Dumbledore moved in front of her. "I don't think that's the best idea Miss Weasley. This is untested, we have no idea whether this will work or not. I understand that you're concerned, but I don't think I can allow – "

"Professor," she cut him off, her voice harsh and her expression unyielding, "the antidote is his only possible hope, without it…he'll die anyway, I'm not asking for your permission, I am _telling_ you what I'm going to do, now please move out of my way."

The headmaster simply stood, seemingly shocked by her outburst. She emitted a noise of frustration and moved past him, now armed with a single-minded determination and a new sense of purpose.

"Poppy," said Dumbledore, breaking the tense silence that Ginny had left in her wake, "would you please see to Severus' external wounds, but I must ask that you refrain from using any magic at this point."

"Of course," the medi-witch replied, moving over to the unconscious figure and beginning her work.

"Mr Malfoy, Mr Potter, maybe you should go and assist Miss Weasley."

"Come on love," said Draco, pulling gently on Harry's arm, "we're only in the way here, let's go and help Ginny."

Harry let himself be led away, his eyes remaining on his father's still form as Madame Pomfrey worked efficiently to clean the blood and dirt from the professor's barely recognisable face. "Please be alright," he whispered, a sudden terror seizing him.

"He will be," Draco said, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "We'll make sure of it."

**XXXXX**

Ginny gathered all her notes and materials together, forcing herself to concentrate solely on the task at hand and not think about the man next door who lay barely breathing, holding on by a thread. She shoved her hair up out of her face and began to sift through her notes, trying to piece everything together before she attempted to begin it. "Come on, focus," she instructed herself, desperately trying to block out the thoughts of despair that kept entering into her mind. She inhaled deeply a few times, warding of the feeling of sickness that was settling in the pit of her stomach. "He needs you, you have to do this," she sternly told herself.

She moved over to the workbench and began setting out the equipment she would need for the gruelling task ahead of her. She looked up sharply as she heard the door open and saw Harry followed by Draco enter. "What are you two doing here?" she asked.

"Dumbledore instructed us to help you, what can we do?" Draco asked, looking just as pale and worried as they all did.

"Um…I…barely know myself. I think I've just about got it, the difficult part now is getting it all right and adding the right parts at the right time. It's his only hope though, it's this or nothing," she said quietly. "Ok, Draco, bring the vinegar to a boil then add the sage and groundsel, stirring in an anti-clockwise direction 90 times. Harry, could you please crush those faerie wings and the hellebore, then add them to the mixture I give you in a minute to make a sort of paste, not too thick though. I'm going to attempt a combination of shredded mandrake root, holly and essence of murtlap. This is really risky, so please, only disturb me if it's really important otherwise the whole lab could be up in smoke," she said gravely. "Everyone clear on what they're doing?" at their nods she said, "ok good, let's get to work.

They all became engrossed in their separate tasks, all with Severus in the back of their minds, silently praying to anyone who would listen that the man would pull through and come back to them. The air in the lab became heavy and oppressive, both with the different fumes arising and from the emotional strain that was plainly obvious to anyone with half a brain. Ginny knew she had to concentrate or she could well end up with a nasty explosion on her hands, and she was managing quite well, able to focus on her job and carry it through professionally, but she couldn't help but imagine what if.

She couldn't lose him; she would fall apart if she did. He meant everything to her and the thought of having that all taken away was simply too cruel to bear. She fought back tears as she continued to work, determined not to let herself break. He _would_ be ok, she would make sure of it. She'd travel to hell and back if it meant having him back with her.

"What else can I do Gin? I've left the mixture to simmer now, anything else?" came Draco's soft voice through her thoughts.

"Um…" she replied, shaking herself back into reality, "you can help me with this. I need you to slowly add the dragon scale poison as I stir. Be _very_ careful though, it's extremely potent and the slightest over-addition at any point could end in disaster. Just try and make your hand as steady as possible," she instructed. Draco nodded and did as he was told, trying to calm himself enough to keep a steady hand.

"You're doing fine Gin, just hold it together as long as it takes to make this. We're going to make sure we keep him with us, he's not going anywhere," he whispered, making sure Harry couldn't hear him. Ginny simply nodded in return, touched that he cared enough to try and reassure her, but too caught up in her own emotions to make a proper response.

They continued in the same vein for the next half an hour, Ginny giving instructions and the boys following them to the letter. Every once in a while she would consult her notes, her stomach knotting when she came across his input, the sight of his writing causing a deep pain that she felt in every single part of her body. She forced herself to continue as best she could though, it was no use allowing herself to get upset at this stage, it would do no one any good. "I think that's all we can do for now," she said, sweeping her hair off her forehead, hot and tired from the work. ""We're going to have to leave that to simmer for about fifteen minutes, then make half of it into a balm with the lemongrass and lavender and the other half into an ingestible potion. That shouldn't be too difficult, I think we've done the hardest part, let's just hope it's enough."

"We should…try and get some rest, we're all exhausted," Draco suggested, knowing full well that he'd be met with blank refusal, but thinking he should try anyway.

"There's no point, the most we'd get would be ten minutes and then we'd have to work again. All we can do is wait, and hope," Ginny said flatly, sinking down onto a stool, exhaustion overwhelming her, but she refused to give in to it.

"She's right," Harry said, "there's no point trying to sleep, we all know we won't be able to anyway."

So they waited, in silence mostly, each retreating into their own thoughts again, the atmosphere tense and serious. When the fifteen minutes were up, Ginny gave them more instructions and they worked hard to produce both the balm and the potion, all thinking in the back of their minds just how much was riding on this simple concoction. Ginny's hand was shaking by the time she spooned the contents of the cauldron into a vial and Draco had to take over to stop her from sending the entire potion to the floor.

"Right," he said, putting a stopper in the vial and a lid on the tub of balm, "I suppose it's testing time."

As he said the words, Ginny felt the sickness take up residence in her stomach once more and she had to close her eyes and steady herself against it for a moment before finally saying, "Let's go then, there's no time to lose."

They all walked sombrely and silently back to the Potions Master's rooms, a heavy weight on all their minds as they re-entered his bedroom, his still unconscious form lying still in the bed. Ginny was marginally relieved to see that he looked better now he had been cleaned up, but he still looked like a man poised on the brink of death, a man whose only hope was an untested potion, made by students who had barely any experience in such a field.

"We think we've done it sir," she said quietly, unable to take her eyes of Severus, terrified that if she did he would somehow slip away from her forever. "If Madame Pomfrey could get him to ingest this potion, I'll apply the balm to his external wounds. Coupled, the two should…_will_ heal him," she said, willing herself to believe it.

"Very well," he said, still looking as though he wanted to argue, but knowing better than to try. "Poppy, if you would please do as Miss Weasley has instructed," he asked and the medi-witch nodded and complied, taking the potion from Ginny and administering it to the Potions Master, being as gentle and careful as possible. Ginny removed the lid from the balm and moved over to the bed, biting down hard on her bottom lip to stop the tears from falling as she knelt beside him, taking in the sight of his battered and broken body.

Her mind took her back to a similar time when she had healed him before. But that was different. Then he had been in no real danger, just a lot of pain and discomfort. Then it was almost…romantic. She had enjoyed being so close to him, even at a time when she hadn't realised the extent of her feelings for him. It was exciting to touch and to discover, to feel like he needed her. Now it was merely terrifying and heart-breaking to think of the man she loved in such a condition. She took yet another deep breath and begin to gently apply the balm to each of his many wounds, each seeming more severe and cruel than the last and all seeming impossible to ever recover from.

"You'll be alright Severus," she whispered, not really caring who heard her at that point; she only had one real worry in her mind – his survival. "I'm going to be right here, making sure you come back to me. You can't leave me now, not when I need you so much, not when we've come so far. There are so many people who need you, you can't leave us, we can't get through this without you." She finally let the tears fall, the pain and terror of the situation at last becoming too much for her to handle.

She felt Draco's strong hands on her shoulders as he gently helped her to her feet. He pulled her too him and held him as she sobbed into his shoulder, letting all her emotions pour out of her. "Ssh," he said softly, holding her tightly, "he'll get through this Ginny, we're going to make sure he does. He's too damn stubborn to let this beat him, you know that."

"I just…can't bear it," she whispered, his shirt and her tears muffling her voice. "What if – "

"No, no what if's, concentrate only on what's happening now or you'll drive yourself insane. All we can do is wait Gin, wait and pray."

**XXXXX**

"How are you holding up?" Draco asked Harry that evening as they sat in Severus' living room later that evening, carefully monitoring the man's condition and waiting for any news from Ginny or Madame Pomfrey as they attended to him, Ginny refusing to leave his side for any length of time.

"I honestly have no idea, my head's all over the place, I can barely sort out one feeling from another," Harry replied, rubbing at the bridge of his nose to try and stave off the headache he could feel forming behind his eyes. "I just wish I could make this all stop for a minute so I could pick myself up and sort my head out."

"I know. It would be better if we knew what was happening. There doesn't seem to be any change at all. They're doing all they can, I just wish we knew more," Draco replied, resting his head on the back of the sofa, sheer exhaustion taking over his body. They're been through several cups of coffee, and even a couple of Pepper-Up potions to keep themselves going, but they were still absolutely shattered.

"You know," said Harry, shifting round to look Draco in the eye, "it's rather strange how involved Ginny is in all this. I mean, I know they work closely together, but to actually break down in tears…and the way she touched him and treated him…well what do you make of it?"

"I'm not quite sure what you're getting at," Draco said tentatively, now was really not the time for all of this to come out. "She's…concerned for his wellbeing, naturally she doesn't want to see anything happen to him."

"No, no it's more than that, there's something…else. Maybe they…never mind, it's probably just me being stupid. I suppose I'm just trying to concentrate on anything other than Dad at the moment. Forget I said anything."

Draco merely smiled at him in return, inwardly worrying about the situation. He knew Severus and Ginny's relationship would be found out eventually, something as explosive as that would never be kept a secret for very long, but he had hoped for a little longer before it was discovered, and certainly not under theses circumstances. He just hoped it would remain a secret for a little while longer, at least until Severus was totally out of the woods, whenever that might be.

**XXXXX**

"I really do think that's all we can do for now Miss Weasley," said Madame Pomfrey as they finished administering the third treatment of balm and potion.

"Alright," Ginny reluctantly agreed, leaning back in the chair she had placed at Severus' bedside. "Could you tell Harry and Draco the situation? I would, but I don't really want to leave him," she said, turning her eyes back to him again. He _did_ look better than he had done before, but then, that wasn't difficult. His breathing had evened out at least, and they had stopped the frighteningly heavy blood flow from his wounds. It was still very early days though and could go either way. Ginny was fighting desperately to keep her hope alive, even though there were moments when she just wanted to crumble and give in.

"Very well then, but I really do think you try and get some sleep, there's nothing we can do now for at least another two hours now anyway, and you'll be no use to anyone falling asleep on your feet."

"I will in a bit," Ginny said, but only to placate the medi-witch, she had absolutely no intention of sleeping, she wouldn't leave him for a moment.

Pomfrey gave a satisfied nod and shuffled out of the room, leaving Ginny alone with Severus. She gingerly took his hand in her own, wincing slightly at how cold he was. "You don't half put me through it," she whispered, a watery smile on her lips. "Why can't you just lead a normal life like all the other professors? I told you not to go, I begged you, pleaded with you but you just wouldn't listen would you? Always thinking you know better. Well I can't wait for you to wake up so I can say I told you so!" she paused, gently brushing the hair from his forehead. "I love you, and I'm not going to lose you. I know you're strong enough to come through this, and I'm going to make sure that's exactly what you do."

She sat for the next half an hour, never letting go of his hand, turning over everything that had happened and _could_ happen. She knew she would drive herself mad thinking about it all, but she just couldn't help it. It was impossible not to, even though she knew she was only tormenting herself.

"Hey," came Harry's voice, cutting through her thoughts. She looked up to see in standing in the doorway, "Pomfrey said that his breathing's normal and that you've managed to stop the bleeding. Anything else?" he asked hopefully.

"No, not really. All we can really do now is wait and see if the antidote takes effect. It doesn't appear to have done him any harm, we can only hope it serves its purpose," she replied, her voice laden with tension and fatigue.

"It's all just a bloody waiting game," he said in frustration, "it's driving me insane." He flopped down into the chair beside Ginny's, worry and tiredness plainly evident on his face. "Have you slept at all?" he asked, to which she merely shook her head. "You've been with him the best part of fifteen hours Gin, at least go and have a sit down in the living room for a bit, get some coffee or something."

"No I'm fine here," she replied, "I'd really rather not leave him at the moment. I know there's nothing more to be done right now but it just makes me feel better being with him. Besides, someone really should be here at all times to monitor him in case his condition takes a sudden turn. It hopefully won't but…" she gave a shrug, words almost beyond her at that point. "He shouldn't have gone Harry, I told him not to. It was suicide, sheer insanity. Why couldn't he just have stayed here and waited to see what happened?"

"Because he's a stubborn fool who does exactly what he wants and refuses to listen to anyone else. There was nothing we could have done to stop him from going, you know that."

"I suppose so, I just can't stop turning it all over in my head. If only he'd stayed here, all of this could have been avoided. I just don't know what I'm going to do if…" realising she'd said too much she stopped, looking down at her hands, unable to meet Harry's eyes.

"Ginny," he began, his brows furrowed into a frown, "is there…something I should know? You seem far more upset about all of this than I would expect. I know you've spent a lot of time working with him but he's still just your teacher. I couldn't see you getting as upset over any of the other professors."

"Harry I really don't see how any of this matters," she said, getting up and going over to the cabinet, ostensibly tidying up, trying to preoccupy herself and avoid Harry's gaze. "I'm just worried that's all, just as anyone would be. Draco's beside himself too, I don't see you questioning him."

"Draco hasn't broken down in hysterical tears and refused to leave his bedside the entire time. Ginny," he said, taking her arm and turning her round to face him again, "what's going on?"

"I don't know what you're getting at. Is there any reason why I shouldn't be worried?"

"I didn't say you shouldn't be worried, it just seems strange that you're _so_ worried. You have to admit that your behaviour isn't exactly in keeping with the average student-teacher relationship."

"Harry I don't know what it is you're implying, but I really don't want to do this right now. I'm tired and frustrated and this is the last thing I need. Right now, he's my only concern, so if you've got something to say to me, it's going to have to wait until he's better," she said, outwardly regaining her composure, inwardly shaking, terrified that the secret she had so carefully guarded was about to come flooding out, creating a whole world of trouble.

"Ginny stop avoiding the issue and just talk to me."

"Why? So you can throw more accusations at me? I'm worried, I'm upset and I'm scared that anything could go wrong at any given moment. Every single person here is worried about Severus, we're all waiting to see if he comes through this."

"How many other students do you know that call him 'Severus'?" Harry shot back, determined to get an answer one way or another.

"Oh for goodness sake!" Ginny exclaimed, her anger beginning to rise. "We've been working together for months, when I'm not with you lot I'm with him so it's no wonder we're on a first name basis and that we've become…close,"

"And just how do you define 'close' Ginny?" he asked, his voice lowering, his expression almost challenging. "Because I'd say you're 'closer' to him than any other student here."

"I don't have time for this Harry, I'm doing my best to make sure your father survives this night, I haven't stopped in hours and I'm about to reach breaking point so I suggest you just back off and leave me alone. My reasons and behaviour are quite frankly none of your business. I don't want to argue with you, certainly not at a time like this, but I will if you keep hounding me with this ridiculous nonsense."

She held his gaze for a moment longer then turned around, facing Severus once more. Her pulse was racing, from anger or fear she wasn't sure, and she felt as though she would be sick at any minute. She hated the fact that she was angry at Harry for asking questions on the basis of very justifiable suspicions, and arguing with him was really the last thing she wanted to do.

"Ginny, I want an answer," he said, sitting down forcefully in the chair next to hers and looking her straight in the eye. "There's something going on and I want to know what. Don't you think I deserve the truth?"

"You want the truth? Fine, I'll tell you the truth. Severus and I are – "

But she never had a chance to finish her sentence. Just as she was about to reveal her explosive secret she heard a dry cough from the bed behind her. Both she and Harry turned quickly to see Severus trying to sit up in bed, bleary-eyed and confused, but awake.

"Severus?" Ginny ventured, at his side in a second, almost frantic, hardly daring to believe he could be alright. "Severus speak to me, are you ok?"

"I…what happened?" he rasped, his voice harsh and broken, his breathing shallow and erratic. He was obviously still in pain and the effort of merely speaking seemed to be costing him a lot.

"You were hit by the curse Severus. Somehow you managed to get back here and Madame Pomfrey and I administered the antidote. We've been waiting for you to wake up ever since," she said, taking his hand as if to make sure he stayed right there with her. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been killed and brought back to life," he whispered, his face still contorted in pain. "You…you solved the antidote?" he asked.

She smiled and nodded, saying, "I didn't exactly have much of a choice. I just went with what I had and hoped for the best, it seems that the gamble paid off."

"Thank Merlin it did. Harry?" he said, glimpsing sight of his son over Ginny's shoulder.

"I'm here Dad," he said, moving forward and offering a watery smile. "You gave us all a pretty nasty scare you know. You've got a lot of making up to do," he offered with what he knew was a poor attempt at a joke. It was the only way he knew how to deal with the situation.

"Are you alright?" Severus asked him.

"I think I should be the one asking you that, but yeah, I'm ok…now that I know you're not…um, I should go and get the others, they'll want to know the news," he said, offering one more smile before moving into the other room. Severus watched his retreating form for a moment before shifting his focus back to Ginny.

"And how are you?" he asked, reaching for her hand.

She took his gently and replied, "All the better for knowing I won't lose you. I was so scared Severus. When you can back all covered in bloody and barely breathing I thought that was it. I've never been so terrified in my whole life. I just can't imagine what I would have done if…I can't bear the thought that…"

"Ssh," he said, placing a soothing a hand on her cheek. "I promised you I'd come back and I did. No doubt I'll be a little sore for a few days, but I'm going to be fine, thanks to you."

"I swear, if you ever do anything like this to me again you won't get the chance to get better! I love you too much to go through this ever again."

"Well Miss Weasley," came Dumbledore's voice. She and Severus both looked sharply to the door to see with horror that Dumbledore, Pomfrey, Harry and Draco had all witnessed the scene that had passed between them. "It would seem that there is more to this whole situation than you have allowed us to believe. I think we need to have a conversation."

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**AN: Please review!**


	22. Repercussions

**Hey everyone, sorry this has taken so long to get out, I have to blame it on a case of writer's block coupled with the hectic life of uni and everything else. Ah well, at least it's here now so I hope you all enjoy.**

**Big thanks to my new BETA randomtrees, at least we finally got the email addresses eh?? **

**So without further ado, hope you like…..**

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Ginny sat in the Potions classroom, staring blankly into space, replaying the last couple of hours in her head. She had known their secret would come out eventually, she wasn't stupid, but she had wanted it to be on their terms, when they were ready to deal with the repercussions of it all.

Dumbledore had ordered everyone but she and Severus out. Harry had of course protested, but he was finally pulled away by Draco, calmly reasoning with him that there was no point in him staying and that he would only aggravate the situation further. He had looked furious, ready to kill both Ginny and his father. That was another conversation she could well wait to have.

Dumbledore had remained calm, taking a seat and fixing his gaze on both of them, one at a time. Ginny hadn't known where to look; she couldn't bear to meet the old man's eyes, unable to cope with the disappointment and censure she would find there.

Severus spoke first, an attempt she supposed to regain some sort of control over the situation. "I won't be treated as a child Albus. As far as I'm concerned, we've done nothing wrong."

"That is not how others will see it Severus. You've abused your position."

"No he didn't," Ginny interrupted, "it's nothing like that, it never was. We were…thrown together, we spent a lot of time together and realised we had a lot in common, we saw something in each other and as hopeful and naïve as it sounds, we fell in love. It's not sordid or some kind of abuse of power, it's just two people who found each other and who want to be together. I'm sorry sir, but you won't make me feel guilty for this, not for the one thing in my life that makes sense and the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"And you feel the same way Severus?" Dumbledore asked.

"I do. I love Ginny and nothing you say or do will change that. If I lose my job because of that then so be it," he said determinedly.

"I can't deny that I am extremely disappointed with both of your conducts in this matter. I would have expected more from both of you. I am as yet undecided about what the best course of action should be. This is an unprecedented case and something I never envisaged would happen. I shall need time to consider what to do. In the mean time I suggest the two of you remain apart."

"No sir, I'm sorry but I can't do that. Not one hour ago I thought that there was a good chance I could lose him. He came back barely breathing and now that he's alright you can't expect me to just leave him. It's just not going to happen."

"Well the two of you are suited in stubbornness if nothing else," the headmaster said wryly. "I'll need to think about this, I need to decide what is to be done."

"Albus there are more pressing matters than mine and Ginny's relationship right now. You seem to have completely forgotten the condition I returned in and the reasons behind it. We're in trouble Albus, the war's coming."

**xXxXxXxXx**

Ginny had sat and listened to Severus relay the whole story of what had happened to him. He had arrived in Malfoy Manor, not exactly the biggest of surprises, and had been immediately apprehended and dragged off to the dungeons where he was questioned for hours under torture with regards to his allegiance and Dumbledore's plans. It seemed that they already knew that Severus was far from loyal, but they enjoyed forcing a confession from him nonetheless. However, when they continued trying to extract information from him about Harry and the Order, he simply refused to speak or even scream when they continued to torture him.

After a while, they left him, only to return some time after, seemingly decided on their course of action. They had cursed him then sent him back, a message to all of what was coming. They of course hadn't banked on the fact that Severus would be cured and live to tell the tale. Ginny could still hear his words resounding in her head – "We're at war Albus, they're ready and we'd better make damn sure we are too."

And now she was sat alone, Severus asleep next door, mulling everything over in her head. She had yet to face Harry and she was dreading it. The look she had seen in his eyes when he was standing in the doorway, it was enough to make her never want to see him again. Then she would have to deal with her family and all the hell she would have to go through with them. Everything seemed rather bleak at that point.

Deciding she had been away from Severus long enough, she got up and moved quietly back into his rooms. "I was wondering where you'd gone," he said as she entered his bedroom.

"I thought you were sleeping," she replied, perching beside him on the bed. "Have you taken the next lot of the antidote?" she asked, receiving a nod in reply. "No side-effects so far?"

"None that I can tell, you've done well."

"Oh dear, a compliment, you're certainly not on the mend yet," she teased, "but I'm very glad to have you the way you are anyway. What are we going to do Severus? We're in such a mess. I can't believe this has happened now. It's just so much to deal with."

"I know," he replied, taking her hand, "but we'll get through it, that's what we do. Anyway, with the impending war on our doorstep, people will have more important things to worry about than us."

"Oh I think my family will find some time to worry, not to mention Harry. Did you see the way he looked at us? Think he'll ever speak to either of us again?"

"You know what he's like, he can never stay angry with the people he cares about for too long. No doubt he'll put us through hell first, but he'd never cut us off completely, it's just not in his nature," he reassured her. "We'll just have to wait and see what's in store for us, but we'll face it together."

**xXxXxXx**

"I wish you'd sit down, if only for a minute or two," Draco implored the pacing brunet, who hadn't calmed himself since they had returned to Gryffindor. The revelation of Ginny and Severus' relationship seemed to be more than he could deal with and he was not taking it well.

"Easier said than done," Harry mumbled, stopping to stand in front of the window and glare out of it. "How could they? It's…it's…there's not even a word for it!" he raved, trying to push down the feeling of betrayal that had risen in his chest ever since the truth had come out.

"You're not going to make it any better by stressing yourself out with it," Draco said gently, getting up from the chair and moving to stand behind Harry. "Now, don't bite my head off when I say this, but…maybe it isn't so bad," the blond ventured tentatively. Harry turned to face him, looking incredulous and not a bit shocked.

"Are you serious? Not that bad? On what planet is this situation not that bad?!"

"Well think about it, in the grand scheme of things, how bad is it really? It's just two people who found each other and want to stay together…is that so awful?"

"It would be a lot less awful if those two people didn't just happen to be my father and one of my best friends!"

Draco sighed and placed a calming hand on each of Harry's shoulders, turning the brunet round to face him. "Harry they love each other, despite everything that stands in their way, all the adversity they're going to have to face. I would have thought, given our relationship and circumstances, that if anyone would understand you would."

Draco felt slightly guilty at the shamefaced look on Harry's face, but if he had made his point then it was worth it. The last thing they needed was Harry not speaking to Severus and Ginny; they would have enough to deal with without adding to their problems.

"I just…" Harry began, "I just…don't know how to deal with it, it's not a situation I ever thought I'd find myself in."

"I'm not asking you to grin and enjoy the situation, only to show some understanding. They both love you so much, it would kill them if you were to cut them off completely."

"Why do you always have to be so bloody reasonable?"

"Well one of us has to be."

**xXxXxXxXxXx**

"Still no adverse effects from the antidote?" Ginny asked that evening as she perched on the end of Severus' bed, peering worriedly down at him.

"A bloody awful headache and feeling sick to my stomach, but that's only to be expected after such exposure to the Cruciatus. It'll pass in a day or two…hopefully," he finished wryly. "And you? You've been distracted all day."

Ginny sighed and reached for his hand, saying, "I just can't stop thinking about everything that happened today. What with us being found out and everything you told us about the war…I suppose it's all getting a bit much. I'm just thankful you're alright now, I think I'd be ready to jump off the roof about now if you still hadn't woken up. Things are just so messed up at the moment."

"They are," he agreed quietly. "These are bad times we're living in there's no denying it, but it doesn't mean that this is it, we can't give up now…tempting as it might be. What is it they say? Always darkest before dawn?"

"That's ridiculously optimistic for you," she teased, earning herself a mock-reproachful raise of an eyebrow. "But I hope you're right, I really do," she sighed. Smiling, she got up and moved round the bed to lie next to him on the other side. Mindful of his wounds, she sidled up as close as she dared and said, "I was so scared I'd never get the chance to do this again."

"I told you I'd come back and I did."

"Just," Ginny added wryly. "Things can't carry on the same way can they? I mean, with everything you told us, we can't just go on with lessons and day-to-day life as if the world isn't falling apart around us. Things are surely going to have to change."

"Maybe," he agreed, gingerly wrapping his arm around her, even though his wounds complained as he did so. "I can't see life returning to the way it was, for any of us."

"Not after all the revelations anyway," Ginny muttered darkly. "Just one bloody thing after another."

He gave a soft chuckle and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "It does rather seem that way."

She snuggled up to his side, feeling that she needed tangible reassurance that he was indeed there with her, that she wasn't going to lose him. After a while she felt his breathing even out, and a glance upward confirmed that he had fallen asleep. Thankful to see that he did not look as pained as he had before, she gave an affectionate smile and snuggled back down again. It was only when she was on the brink of sleep herself that she heard someone clearing their throat in the doorway. Looking up she saw Harry looking decidedly uncomfortable, shifting from one foot to the other.

She swiftly disentangled herself, embarrassed at being caught in such a position. "Um hi," she ventured lamely, completely at a loss for what to say, thinking that it would be best to let him decide the way in which the conversation would go.

"Hi," he returned quietly. "He's asleep then. How is he?"

"Much better than he was, though it'll still be a while until he's fully recovered, he's endured something no one should ever have to go through, but he'll be ok."

"Thanks to you," Harry replied and Ginny looked up at him sharply, surprised at his generosity in the situation. "Well it's true," he continued quietly, "if it weren't for you he probably wouldn't be alive now." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, then said, "Look Gin, I can't pretend to be glad about this whole thing, you're hardly the person I'd want for him and he's hardly the person I'd want for you, it's the most messed up thing I've ever heard of and I wish it wasn't happening…but it is, and there's nothing I can do about it.

"I love you both, and I'm not willing to lose either of you. I'm not saying I like this…only that…I'll deal with it as best as I can. You have to understand how incredibly weird this situation is for me – one of my best friends and my Dad…it's hardly something you expect to happen."

"I _do_ understand, really I do. I know how bizarre this whole situation is and believe me when I say I never meant for it to happen…it just did. I can't…I can't exactly say I'm sorry for it, because I love him, but I _am_ sorry that it has to affect you this way. We never wanted to hurt you."

Harry nodded and said, "I realise that, it's just…difficult is all, probably will be for some time. I'm still going to feel awkward about the whole thing and being around the two of you will be…completely surreal."

"Harry just as long as you're not angry and upset with us, we can eventually get past the whole weirdness thing. I'm just so relieved you don't hate us."

He smiled and replied, "Hey, just as long as I don't have to call you 'Mum'."

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The next day Dumbledore appeared in Severus' rooms with Harry and Draco in tow, telling them that he had news of the current situation. Once they were all seated, each looking as apprehensive as the other, he sombrely announced, "Hogwarts is to be disbanded, no more lessons will occur from today onwards. The school will, however, remain open as a safe-house for all those who wish to stay and we will also accommodate most of the Order as we will need to start discussing strategy and our immediate plans. I'll be making the announcement later on today. I imagine that a large number of the Slytherins will be leaving us," he finished sadly.

"Mm, Parkinson will be the first to go I'll bet," Draco said, exchanging a knowing look with Severus. "Be prepared to lose practically the whole house," he warned bleakly.

"As awful as it is, I fear that may well be the truth. Nevertheless, all those who wish to stay will be welcome."

"It sounds as though you'll be turning the place into some kind of military headquarters," Severus noted quietly.

"Well, for all intents and purposes I suppose it will be…what it must be, now we are truly at war," he said, his voice tinged with sadness. "Severus, do you think you will be able to get in touch with the Fianna at some point? It would be a step in the right direction to have them on our side."

"I have no doubt whatsoever that they will be. Harry, do you think you could get Blaise to come and see me? I'll need to contact his mother, she'll be able to get in touch with one of the head Keepers and can arrange a meeting for us."

"Sure, no problem, I'll speak to him at lunch time," Harry obliged, actually quite looking forward to speaking to his cousin again, as he'd left it a few days since they'd last spoken. "How many do you think will stay here?"

"Difficult to say," Dumbledore replied, "some parents may feel that their homes are safer as Hogwarts may seem to be an obvious target; others will feel that the wards and other protective measures we have on the castle are better protection than they could offer at home. We shall have to see, but all those who need sanctuary will be given it." He looked around and Harry was suddenly struck with just how old the man looked. "That it should come to this," he said quietly.

"We all knew it would eventually," Severus said practically, if despondently, "it was just a matter of time before our happy little existence came crashing down around us."

"Be that as it may, we're not beaten yet, and we'll do everything in our power to remain that way," Dumbledore replied, trying to instil a little spirit into the present company. "Miss Weasley," he said, turning to address Ginny, "your family will be arriving later this evening."

Ginny visibly paled and looked slightly sick. "My _entire_ family?" she asked, looking as though it was the worst news she could ever receive.

"Yes Miss Weasley. I will not be telling them about…what has transpired these last couple of days, I expect you to do that. They would have found out eventually of course. I shall let you tell them in your own time."

Ginny nodded and glanced over at Severus, who looked equally as disconcerted by the thought. "Are…are _you_ going to do anything about us?" she asked tentatively, afraid of what the answer would be.

Severus looked up at the old man, and if he didn't know better, he would have sworn he saw a hint of the old twinkle back in the man's eye as he said, "Well, as Hogwarts is no longer to exist as a school…it really doesn't have anything to with me now does it? Besides, I think you'll both have enough to deal with once your family arrives, I wouldn't want to add to that. Having seen the two of you together, I doubt there would be much I could do anyway," he added with a wry smile. "Well, I've said all I came to say, I have other things to attend to so I shall bid you all farewell and a good day," he said, giving them all a congenial smile before leaving.

"We should probably go too," Harry said, dragging Draco up along with him, "I might come and see you later though," he added as he headed towards the door, "make sure you're letting yourself heal properly and not trying to play the hero as always."

"Excuse me, it can't possibly be that I heard _you_ criticise _me_ for playing the hero," Severus said pointedly. "Get out of my chambers you impossible brat, I've already got enough to contend with having _her_ nag me from sunrise to sunset about the state of my health," he said, nodding his head in Ginny's direction, who raised an eyebrow in response and said,

"Well if you didn't insist on trying to get out of bed every five minutes to prove how much better you are I wouldn't have to nag now would I? You really are the most infuriating man I've ever met, you'll jolly well do as you're told or you'll have Harry _and _me to contend with."

"Heaven forbid," was the reply, the man's voice actually bordering on fearful. "Now go on, get out and see to whatever business you might have to attend to and don't forget to talk to Blaise."

"He talks to me as if I'm stupid," Harry complained to Draco as they left, pointedly ignoring the look he knew his father was sending him.

When he was quite sure his son and godson were completely out of the vicinity, he turned to Ginny and said, "It might not be as bad as you're anticipating you know."

She turned to him with a look that clearly said she thought he was barking and said, "That curse must have addled your brain worse than we thought; have you not met my family? Do you not know how they can get? And _all_ of them will be arriving _this_ evening – that's my parents and _all_ of my brothers…not to mention Ron who has still to hear about this whole thing. Can we please just go and jump off a cliff now?"

Severus gave her one of his patented smirks and replied, "As appealing as that may be, we both knew we'd have to face them sooner or later, it just so happens that it's sooner. At least it gets it out of the way, however unpleasant it might be."

"Well…we're just going to have to play it tactically that's all, something _you_ should excel in. We can never let them get either one of us on our own, no 'private chats', no 'heart to hearts', we're in this together and that's exactly how we're going to stay. I just bloody hope you and I are a match against that gang of crazed lunatics."

"You know, if we just sent your entire family after Voldemort I'm pretty sure the whole problem would go away."

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**AN: Hope you liked, please review: ) **


	23. Meet the Weasleys

**AN:** Well here you go everyone, here's your next instalment! Big huge thanks to my lovely beta **randomtrees**, you're lovely! Hope you all enjoy, lol, not much else to say really!

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"'Hogwarts disbanded' – it was only announced at lunchtime and already it's in the evening paper," said Ron, throwing the Prophet down on the table in front of him. "News travels fast, especially the bad kind. I still can't believe the whole school's going to turn into some kind of military headquarters, it'll be so strange."

"But sadly necessary," Draco replied, "I agree that it will be strange for a while though, especially with all the people that are bound to arrive, Order members and the like."

"Not to mention my entire family," said Ron with an eye roll, "won't that just be the most fun ever!"

"Speaking of which," Ginny said, taking part in the conversation for the first time that evening, "Ron there's something I think I should tell you before everyone arrives, you too Hermione as you're part of the family as well," she said, looking as though this was the very last thing she wanted to do. Draco and Harry exchanged a look as Ron and Hermione confusedly followed Ginny upstairs; that was a conversation they were glad they weren't going to be a part of.

As Ron wasn't allowed access to the Girls' quarters, they decided to go to Ron's room, Ginny feeling increasingly nervous by the second. Ron and Hermione took a seat on the bed and Ginny stood in front of them, shifting from one foot to another and taking a few deep breaths, trying to figure out how on earth she was going to tell them. "There's um…there's something I need to tell you, something I probably should have told you a long time ago but…well I just couldn't…I don't even know how I'm suppose to tell you now."

"Is it something bad Gin? Whatever it is, you know we'll support you any way we can," Hermione said, beginning to look worried.

"I'm not sure how quick you'll be to lend your support when you've heard what I have to tell you," Ginny replied quietly.

"Come on Ginny, just tell us what this is all about," Ron said gently and Ginny almost laughed as she recognised his 'understanding' face.

"Ok…" she began, feeling her stomach drop down to her shoes, "over the past couple of months Professor Snape and I…Professor Snape and I have been…having a relationship, and now Dumbledore, Harry and Draco know. I know this will come as a huge shock but I really wanted to tell you before the rest of the family found out," she finished, finally looking her brother in the eye.

There was a long pause, then Ron eventually said, "Are you crazy? You've been…with Snape?! With Harry's father?! What in Merlin's name possessed you?!"

"Ron calm down," Hermione said levelly, placing a hand on his shoulder to try and placate him, "the last thing anyone needs is you getting all irate with the situation," she said, then turning to Ginny and asking, "Are you two…serious?"

"Yes," was Ginny's immediate answer, "we love each other and we know the odds are stacked right against us and that people probably won't understand, but right now all I'm worried about is the people I care about understanding, or if not understanding then at least trying to support us. We're really committed to making this work, and I think we can, we're good together and I really, really want to be with him. And now with the school being disbanded, he's not even my teacher anymore, we're just…two people," she finished quietly.

"But you're not just two people Gin," Ron said, "he's Severus Snape, ex-Death Eater turned spy who, barely hours ago, was fighting for his life; Severus Snape who, again barely hours ago, was our Potions Professor, a man twenty years your senior and, need I add, Harry's father! How can you possibly see this working?"

"Because I love him Ron, and believe it or not, he loves me. He's the only person who's ever…who's ever understood me and I feel good when I'm with him, he gives me something that no one else ever has and with everything else that's going on around us, I need him more than ever. I know it's strange, believe me we never planned this…but I'm not sorry, I can't make apologies for the first thing in my life that's really felt right and I…I really need your support. Harry and I have already talked about this, and while he still finds the situation a little hard to handle, he's willing to be as supportive as he can, I would like to say that I can expect the same from you."

Ron sighed and looked slightly abashed, quiet for a few moments before he finally said, "Ginny, you know you'll always have my support, whatever you do, I just don't want to see you get hurt. I don't want to play the part of the judgemental older brother I really don't, but I just want to make sure you know what you're getting yourself into."

"I do Ron. Besides, I'm already in way too deep now, there's no going back. I'm not expecting us all to sit down and drink tea together any time soon, I just don't want a load of hassle on top of everything else we're going to have to deal with."

"Everything else being Mum, Dad and our insane older brothers? Good luck with that."

**xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx**

Harry was somewhere blissfully between asleep and awake as he lay with his head pillowed in Draco's lap up in Draco's room, trying to grab a few moments of peace in between all the hectic back and forth of the preparations for turning Hogwarts into a safe house cum headquarters. It felt like ages since they'd had the opportunity to spend any real time together and Harry was relishing every moment of it. He snuggled in closer to the warmth and emitted a contented sigh.

"You know, that almost bordered on a purr," Draco told him amusedly.

"Mm," was the only reply Harry was prepared to make, keeping his eyes firmly closed, a lazy smile on his lips.

"When exactly did I become a cushion?"

"When I decided you were."

"Charming," Draco replied, placing an arm behind his head and sinking down into the pillows. He was also content to just simply lie with Harry, the feeling of peace slightly alien but entirely welcome after the drama of the last few days. The fact that the castle was soon to be turned upside down was also a good incentive to spend as much time together as possible. "You know, most of the Slytherins have left already, a lot of the muggle-borns too. I suppose their families think if they take them out of the wizarding world they'll make sure they're safe; it's a ridiculous notion, the muggle-borns will be prime targets and they'd be far safer here."

"I suppose this is the safest place to be. As long as we're together I don't really care much."

"You're a hopeless romantic, you know that right?"

"S'why you love me," Harry replied sleepily, "among other reasons," he added with a smirk. "You know, I wouldn't want to be Ginny and Dad right about now, they must be out of their minds fretting about telling the whole Weasley family about their relationship. I don't envy them."

"Mm, they're going to have a tough time of it, but at least they've got each other. Besides, with everything that's going on at the moment, they'll eventually cease to be the most important thing happening. You've changed your tune though, the way you were before, I thought you'd never speak to either of them again."

Harry gave a small shrug and replied, "Like you say, with everything else that's going on and the knowledge that we could all have very limited time together, it seems stupid to stay angry at the people you care about."

"True, Merlin knows we shouldn't waste any of the time we have. You wait, once all the families and Order members and Merlin knows who else gets here, we'll be begging for moments like these, just the two of us," he said, lacing his fingers through Harry's hair.

"And you accuse me of being the romantic," Harry chuckled. "Oh did I tell you I spoke with Blaise earlier? His mother's going to pay Dad a visit in a couple of days – I'm going to get to meet my Aunt. I know it's silly but I'm really excited about it."

"It's not silly at all, it'll be good for you to meet more of your family. I've met her very briefly before, she's a lot like Blaise, the resemblance is striking. I think you'll like her."

"Here's hoping anyway."

**xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx**

Ginny couldn't remember ever having felt so nervous in her life; her stomach kept periodically dropping to her shoes and her mouth kept going dry. She had looked up at the door about fifty times over the past half hour, dreading the moment when she would see her family walk through it. She rose from her seat, paced a few times across the room, twined and untwined her hands then sat back down again. She emitted a long, unsteady breath and tried to ignore the feeling of sickness in the pit of her stomach.

She was just so worried about the prospect of telling her family; she couldn't imagine how she even going to begin the conversation. She could imagine their reactions, and she was dreading them; dreading the looks on their faces and the things they would say. She knew there was nothing really they could do, it wasn't as though they could break them up and order them to stop seeing each other, but even so, she didn't want her entire family to be against her.

"Ginny, wearing away the stone on the floor isn't going to help the situation in any way you know," Severus observed from his place in bed, still unable to leave it due to his injuries. "There's still another half hour before your family arrives, so stop looking at the door every five seconds!"

Ginny's family had been sent a message that after they arrived at the school they were to go to Severus' quarters where both he and Ginny would be waiting for them. The reason why had been withheld, but Ginny thought her family must find it strange to be sent to Severus' chambers and that she would be there also.

"I can't help it; I just keep picturing that door opening and the whole lot of them walking through wanting answers. I just don't think I'm ready to give them to them. I always knew you and I wouldn't be a secret forever, but I wanted us to be able to tell people on our terms, when we were truly ready, not now, not like this. I'm just not ready to deal with it all," she said, sounding as tired and frustrated as she felt.

"I'm going to be right by your side, we're in this together. Whatever anyone has to throw at us, we'll deal with it, we've faced worse. I didn't survive that damned curse only to live a half life and shy away from the world. Like you say, your family would have found out at some point, true it's not ideal that it's not on our terms, but it's happened and we'll cope with it as best we can."

Ginny gave a small smile and couldn't help but feel slightly foolish; he was so calm and together and she was going crazy, worrying herself. Still, she knew him well enough to know that he was just as nervous as she was, he just dealt with it better. "I'm glad you'll be fighting my corner," she told him, "there's no way I'd be doing this without you. I'm just so sick of feeling that things are always against us, it's a constant uphill struggle, we deserve a break."

"And we'll get one, when all this wretched business is behind us. But first we have the hardships to face, this one included, as much as we might wish to avoid it."

Ginny gave a defeated smile and leant forward, placing a soft kiss on his lips. "I love you, don't forget that."

"And I love you, and if your family wasn't set to arrive at any moment I'd prove to you how much," he replied with a smirk.

"You Professor will restrain yourself until you're fully healed. I'm not risking you having a relapse."

Severus was about to reply when there was a knock at the door, swiftly followed by the entrance of the entire Weasley clan, all of whom looked tired and confused, looking questioningly at the two other occupants of the room. "Hello Ginny dear," said Molly, moving to give her daughter a quick hug. "Oh Severus, how are you? What a terrible thing to go through," she said, turning her attention to the Potions Master.

"I'm fine Molly, although something tells me I'm about to take a turn for the worse," he muttered, earning himself a look from Ginny. "Please take a seat everyone, make yourselves comfortable," he instructed, suddenly struck by just how big Ginny's family was; this was not going to be fun. Why the bloody hell did the girl have to have six brothers? Why couldn't it have been sisters?

Ginny shifted a little closer to him, took a deep breath and said, "Right, well I suppose you're all wondering why we asked you to come down here, I know it's a little strange."

"Just a bit Gin, what's this all about?" asked Fred, looking highly disconcerted at being sat in Severus Snape's private quarters.

"Professor Snape and I have something we need to tell you, all of you. We hadn't quite planned to do it this way, but…well…this is the way it's happening," Ginny said, realising that she was babbling, but unable to stop herself from doing so. "Um…I don't really know quite how to tell you all this…"

"Then let me," Severus said softly, knowing how difficult this was for her. "What I have to say I know you're not going to like and will most probably be difficult to hear. For the past few months…Ginny and I…have been conducting a relationship," he said, as varying looks of horror, anger and sheer astonishment appeared on her family's faces. "I know you will all most likely be upset and angry about the situation, my apologies if this causes anyone any distress, but this is the situation."

"And before anyone says anything about coercion or abuse of power, I assure you that this whole thing was more my idea than it was Severus'. I made the first move and I was the one who pushed to try and make this work, and I'm not sorry I did," Ginny said, trying to keep her voice steady and her expression composed. "Professor Dumbledore is aware of the situation, and he isn't going to take any disciplinary action, and with the school now disbanded and Severus no longer my Professor, the issue of a student-teacher relationship is all but resolved. I know this is going to come as a shock, but please just try to be supportive and treat it as you would any other relationship."

"Ginevra Weasley have you lost your mind?" Molly asked incredulously, the first person of the family to find their voice again. "The man is twenty years your senior, not to mention an ex-Death Eater and up until very recently your Potions Professor! How in Merlin's name do you expect us to be supportive about that? And as for you Severus! I cannot believe you would take advantage of a young, vulnerable girl in such a way!"

"Oh please Mum, I'm about as vulnerable as Fred and George! Do you honestly believe anyone would have the chance to take advantage of me?! I made all the moves and I'm not sorry I did, I love Severus and nothing you say or do will change that. I know this is hard to accept, but this is my decision, and like it or not I'm asking you to respect that."

"Ginny you're only a child, you don't know about life or people, this is just wrong!" her father interjected, looking just as upset as her mother.

"I don't know about life?" Ginny repeated, her voice low and dangerous, her eyes narrowed in angry disbelief. "I don't know what it's like to be possessed by one of the most evil men this century has produced? I don't know what it's like to fight his followers and risk my life time and time again trying to defeat him? I'm not a child, none of us who've grown up in these times are, we don't get that privilege, we don't get to be like other people. Severus saw that, and I saw what I needed in him, and if you can't understand that, then I feel sorry for you," she finished quietly.

Her father looked saddened and somewhat abashed at what she had said, but her mother still looked furious, ready to argue the matter further.

"You can't just expect us to accept this and wish you well," she said, her eyes darting between the two of them.

"You can't seriously see this working Gin," said Bill, speaking up for the first time, "I mean come on, the man is old enough to be your father."

"Yes Bill, I'm perfectly aware of that," she said acerbically, "even though you all seem to have me down as some pathetic incompetent I can actually count!"

"There's no need for that Gin, we're just pointing out the very obvious problems of this relationship," said Charlie, moving to stand beside his brother.

"I don't need anyone to point them out thank you very much, nor do I need to be told how to behave. I assure you I'm not as much of a child as you all think I am, I'm perfectly capable of making decisions regarding my own life."

Seeing that Ginny was beginning to get distressed and deciding that he'd been silent long enough, Severus said, "Ginny and I are happy together and I promise there was no hint of coercion or anything like. We have a mature, consensual relationship."

"I'm surprised you know what one is," Molly spat back.

Having had quite enough of the confrontation for one night, Ginny stepped forward and said firmly, "I'm going have to ask you all to leave, I don't think either Severus or myself are up to this tonight and Severus still needs his rest; need I remind what he has recently gone through – for _all_ of us," she said, an icy tinge to her voice. "If you want to come and speak to either of us over the next few days we will be here, I hope by then you will have abandoned your prejudices and become a little more open-minded to the situation. Goodnight," she said firmly with no room for argument. Her family had no choice but to remove themselves from Severus' rooms, casting backwards glances at the two as they did so, Ginny's mother still looking fairly murderous.

Severus let her have a moment or two before he tentatively asked, "Are you ok?"

"Families are more bloody trouble than they're worth!" she seethed, turning round to face him. "How dare he accuse me of being a child?! And how the hell could she accuse you of taking advantage?! My brothers were little to no help either, Merlin I knew they wouldn't like this, but I thought they might at least be willing to listen. This is just the last thing we need right now," she said tiredly, sitting down next to him on the bed.

He twined his hand through hers and gave her a rare smile. "You were quite the authoritarian there, Lucius Malfoy could learn a thing or two from you," he said with a smirk.

She gave a soft laugh and replied, "When you're the youngest child _and_ only girl in a family like mine, you soon learn that that's the only way to survive and make yourself heard. You just get shoved into the background otherwise. The trouble with my mother is that she still thinks she has the right to be in charge, even though all of us are grown up and have faced more than she ever did at our age. I know it's only natural but it drives me up the wall."

"As I believe mothers are meant to do."

"I don't know, if feels different this time; the way she looked at me…I've seen her angry before, but this was something else. I just have the horrible feeling that it's going to be a very long time before things are alright between us," she said despondently.

"Although it's easier said than done, try not to worry about it love, you can't make them change their minds, they're going to have to do that on their own. We knew this wasn't going to be easy."

"It just frustrates me that they're not even willing to_ try_ and understand us. I'm fed up of feeling like I have to justify myself to everyone. Well from now on, no more; if they want to talk then they're going to have to come to us, I'm not chasing after anyone for their approval," she said resolutely.

As she snuggled down to Severus' side, he hoped her family _would_ come to them, but he had the uneasy feeling that somehow that wasn't going to happen easily.

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**AN:** Hope you liked, please review!


	24. Mother dearest

Chapter 24

"I'm not going to stand here arguing with you all day, you will get back into bed and rest now!" Ginny said firmly later the next morning as Severus continued to move around his bedroom looking for something to wear for that day.

"I've been in bed too long, it's driving me insane," he replied through gritted teeth. "There are a million and one things I need to do and none of them are any closer to being done with me lying in bed."

Ginny gave a huff of frustration and took the pair of trousers out of his hands saying, "You make it sound as though you've had a cold and are just being a hypochondriac! For Merlin's sake Severus you almost died! I think a little time in bed is somewhat necessary to your recovery! Your classes are being covered and everything that needs to be done has been. All you need to do is get better and you won't do that by being a stubborn idiot who refuses to acknowledge the fact that they are still healing," she said, still holding his trousers behind her back out of his reach as he continued to try and make a grab for them.

"Ginny," he began, obviously trying to remain as calm and patient as he could, "I am quite well aware of what I have recently been through and I am also well aware of my own body and its healing capabilities. I assure you, I'm recovered enough to be out of bed."

"Don't you think you should let other people be the judge of that? You may well be a highly intelligent man but you're _not_ a Healer! I think you should let yourself be examined first before you start making any decisions about what you're going to do."

"Ginny…darling," he said, knowing full well that she knew he was trying to placate her, "I promise I won't do anything strenuous, I certainly won't be teaching because, as you say, my classes have been covered, I just want to get out of that bed and into some clothes before I go mad. I can heal just as well sitting in a chair as I can lying in bed and if anything starts feeling off, I promise I'll see Pomfrey. Satisfied?" he asked.

"No," she shot back with a sulky pout, half joking, half serious, "but I suppose Hell will freeze over before you actually listen to anyone, even me. Ok, you can get up but I warn you, if I see you working or causing yourself any stress whatsoever, I will make you feel worse than you did when you tumbled through that fireplace half dead!" she threatened.

"Yes dear," he said in a mocking tone, leaning forward to place a soft kiss on her lips. "There was a time when I was in control of my own life," he griped, taking his trousers back off her.

"Yes well you can kiss those days goodbye," she teased.

"I'd rather kiss something else," he replied, pulling her closer to him, smiling down at her. She hmphed and mumbled something about snarky old gits trying to sweet-talk her but let herself be pulled up against his chest nevertheless. "I know why you're so keen to keep me in bed," he teased with a smirk.

"Don't flatter yourself," she said haughtily, trying very hard to keep the smile from her face, pulling away only to be pulled back into a kiss. "Bully," she murmured against his lips as she slid her arms up round his neck as their bodies pressed together, relishing in the contact she'd been denied over the last few days. His kisses were soft but firm, reassuring and gentle as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Her breath hitched as his lips moved to her neck, a hand coming round to cradle her head. She gave an appreciative moan as he continued his ministrations, hitting sensitive spots along the way. One hand found its way to her robes and began to unbutton them from the top, slowly revealing soft skin as the hand went lower.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" she asked breathily, concerned for his health but desperately hoping the answer was yes.

"I'm not quite that old," he replied dryly.

"Git," she returned, "you know perfectly well that's not what I meant."

"I think I can manage," he assured her, slipping the robe off her shoulders. "You _are_ supposed to wear something under those you know," he told her with a smirk as she stood in nothing but her underwear.

"It's a warm day," she replied, "surely you're not complaining?"

"Not in the slightest," he said with an appreciative look. "It'll give me something to think about the next time I see you walking around in robes," he said, pulling her back to him. He was about to resume his earlier attentions when he was stopped by a knock at the door. "Oh for…" he began irritably. "Why is the world always against me?" he growled.

"You'd better get it," Ginny told him, picking up her robe and disappearing into the bathroom, just as frustrated as he was that they were interrupted.

Cursing everyone in the entire world except the young woman in his bathroom, he straightened his robes and stalked through his chambers, flinging the door open and instantly regretting doing so as he felt a particularly nasty wound twinge in complaint.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Harry asked, not in the least bit put off by the abrupt opening of the door, nor the look on Severus' face, which had softened slightly at the sight of his son.

"Don't you start," Severus warned, stepping aside to let Harry enter, "I've had enough of that from Ginny this morning. I'm perfectly capable of deciding when I'm well enough to get out of bed."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but the last time I checked you were a Potions Master, not a Healer; you don't know that you're well enough," Harry said sternly.

"Exactly what I told him," Ginny said, emerging from the bedroom, fully robed once more. She couldn't help but notice that Harry looked momentarily uncomfortable at seeing one of best friends emerge from his father's bedroom, but he covered it quickly and smiled at her, saying,

"Well at least one of you has some sense. You should listen to her Dad, and me! You're still not fully recovered, you need your rest."

"Merlin help me, I'm surrounded by nagging old women!" he exclaimed, sitting down carefully on the sofa, Harry and Ginny following suit.

Ginny gave him an evil grin and said sweetly, "If anyone's old around here it certainly isn't me or Harry," to which Severus merely raised an eyebrow, shooting her his 'I'm clearly unimpressed' look. She chuckled and looked back to Harry, saying, "I tried to tell him, but he wouldn't listen, you more than anyone would know how stubborn he is given that you're exactly the same."

Harry smirked, looking remarkably like his father, and replied, "I'm nowhere near as bad as him and you know it."

"When the two of you are quite finished deprecating my character, perhaps Harry you could tell us why you're here, not that I'm not thrilled to see you of course," he added with a mock sneer.

"Well the reasons for my being here are twofold really – one, I came to see how you were feeling and to check that you weren't being your usual stubborn self, question answered there I think," he said, receiving a chuckle from Ginny and a glare from Severus, "and two, I came to escape the mayhem that's going on everywhere in the castle. I'm afraid your brother and my 'significant other' are going to kill me when I go back, I left them dealing with a bunch people who all needed to be showed to their new accommodation in various parts of the castle," he said, something of an evil smile playing on his lips. "I'll just play the 'oh but I couldn't stand the way they looked at me like an attraction in the zoo, it's such a burden being famous' card."

"You are becoming entirely too Slytherin," Severus told him.

"Well with a Slytherin for a father and a Slytherin for a lover, what do you expect?" Harry asked with a chuckle. "You could hardy expect me not to pick up a trick here and there."

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

Harry stayed with his father and Ginny for a little while longer, still finding the situation remarkably odd and a little uncomfortable. It was plain to see that they worked well together and that there was a great deal of love between them, but it wasn't easy to see one of your best friends with your father. He hoped he would get used to it eventually, but it would still take a while.

Deciding he'd left Ron and Draco fending for themselves for long enough, he made his way back to the tower, the journey taking twice the usual time as he was held up several times by the throngs of people who had invaded the castle. It seemed that half the wizarding population had taken up the offer of sanctuary, and Harry was sure he spotted quite a few muggle families among the crowd, their children obviously having convinced them that Hogwarts was the best place they could be.

When he finally made it back to the tower, he found Ron and Draco slumped on the sofa looking absolutely exhausted, having only enough energy to raise their heads and glare at him. "Um…hi," he ventured, wincing slightly as the glares intensified. "Look I'm really sorry for abandoning you guys, I just couldn't face everyone staring at me like I'm some attraction in the zoo."

Ron and Draco exchanged a look then pushed themselves up off the sofa, walking over to Harry with smiles and sympathetic looks. "I'm sorry love, I guess we didn't take that into consideration, it must be really hard for you," Draco said softly, resting a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Yeah mate, we just didn't think about what you'd have to put up with," Ron said, mirroring Draco and resting his hand on Harry's other shoulder.

Harry was just congratulating himself on the brilliant result of his plan and was about to proclaim that he was going down for some food if anyone wanted to join him, when both hands that rested on his shoulders swiftly collided with his head. "What the bloody hell was that for?!" he asked, rubbing the back of his abused head.

"That, my love," Draco said 'sweetly', "is for dumping us with everyone and leaving us to do all the hard work while you buggered off to have tea and a chat with your father!"

"_And_," Ron picked up, "for thinking for one minute that we'd buy the 'it's such a burden having everyone stare at you like an attraction in the zoo' act. We're actually rather insulted you can't give us more credit than that. Now, Draco and I are going to go and get some well-earned food, what you do is your own affair," he said, and with that, he and Draco stomped out of the Gryffindor common room, leaving an incredulous-looking brunet behind.

"Well at least they're getting on better."

**xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx**

Ron and Draco did of course eventually forgive Harry, but not before they ignored him for the rest of the day, spending the whole time, as odd as it was, with each other, giving the Gryffindor the cold shoulder and shooting him several looks that made him feel about 2 inches tall. He made his humble apologies and things returned to normal, all knowing that they weren't really that angry, they just wanted to make him sweat a bit.

Hogwarts had been turned upside down; over half the Slytherin house had left, but their absence was more than made up for by the scores of people who had flocked to the castle seeking sanctuary. As well as those who simply wished to stay, the castle was also taken up by several Order members, and before long Hogwarts began to have the feel of a military headquarters.

Ginny hadn't seen or spoken to any member of her family since their arrival and her announcement, and had no intention of making the first move. Her efforts of resistance paid off to some extent as a few days later the twins came to talk to her. She was sitting in the old Charms classroom looking through a few of Severus' old notes regarding a couple of potions he was hoping to refine and had asked for her input in the matter, something she couldn't help but feel smugly proud about, when they approached her.

"Gin?" Fred ventured as he and his twin hovered in the doorway. "Mind if we come in for a chat?"

"It's not my classroom, I can't stop you," she said, going back to looking at her notes but not actually paying them any attention.

"Come on Gin, we really want to talk to you," George said as he and Fred moved into the classroom and jumped up onto the desks in front of her. "We're not here to argue with you, we've always been on your side before haven't we?"

At that, Ginny looked up at them, cautiously asking, "You're on my side?"

Fred sighed, looking at his twin for a moment before turning back to her and saying, "We're not on anyone's side exactly, we just thought we'd tell you that we support your decision, even if we think you're absolutely barking," he said, earning a glare. "Well come on, how many people do you know would willingly enter into a relationship with the evil Head of Slytherin?"

"Me," she growled in response.

"Yeah well you've always been weird. _Anyway_," he said quickly before she had a chance to make a retort, "the point I'm trying to make is that while we don't fully get the relationship, we're willing to support you in your decision because you're our little and only sister and it's not up to us to pass judgement on how you live your life."

"We're not saying we're going to be having tea and a chat with you and 'Sev' anytime soon or anything, but we're not going to give you a hard time about it. He is a good man…to all intents and purposes…and we know you're mature and sensible enough to know your own mind and not need anyone else's interference," George finished, both he and Fred looking rather pleased with themselves.

"Whilst I'm well aware that _I'm_ mature and sensible, when did you two decide to be so?" she asked dryly.

Fred gave a small chuckle and replied, "It doesn't happen very often granted, but we like to give it a go every twice a year or so."

"Well…I'm glad you did, it helps to know the whole family doesn't hate me," she said flatly.

"The whole family doesn't hate you, pet," Fred told her, sitting next to her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"They're just finding this a bit difficult that's all," George added, doing the same on her other side. "Surely you can see why this is hard for them to understand and accept – their youngest child and only daughter has been having a relationship with her Potions Master, a man twenty years her senior and also an ex-Death Eater. No offence pet but it's hardly the kind of man every parent dreams their daughter will bring home."

"And I'm quite aware of that, why do you think I was dreading telling all of you? If I couldn't see a problem with it I wouldn't have been so reluctant to tell everyone. I know the fact that he was my teacher is something everyone's going to have trouble coming to terms with and his past as a Death Eater is…troubling to say the least, believe me, it took me a while to come to terms with some of the things he's done, but I'm willing to see past all that…I love him," she finished simply with a small shrug.

"They'll come round eventually; you're just going to have to be patient."

"I don't think I have that much patience."

**xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx**

"Drake we have to get to the meeting," Harry protested half-heartedly as Draco pulled him back down onto the bed and continued his attentions to Harry's neck.

"Harry, we've barely had five minutes to ourselves all bloody week, do you really think I'm going to just surrender this time now for some precious meeting?" Draco replied, pulling Harry down on top of him. They both knew that they'd get to the meeting eventually, just a little later than everyone else. Just because their presence had been specifically requested didn't mean it was compulsory for them to be on time.

"Mm, it would be nice to just stay here all day," Harry conceded, pushing himself up a little so as not to crush the blond. "I hate that we haven't had any time to ourselves all week, I've barely seen you," he complained.

They had both been kept busy by the various tasks that had been assigned to them and the responsibilities they had taken up of their own accord. They had been attending several meetings, mostly with Order members, regarding the current situation they were all in, as well as various training sessions that had been put in place for 5th to 7th years, sessions that involved basic defence and attack, both magical and otherwise. As well as these general training sessions, Harry, Draco, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and a few others thought capable had been offered private tuition in more advanced forms of fighting, training that was overseen by Severus, Remus, Albus and Minerva, with the promise of various other Order members' input at a later stage. They were also continuing with their studies in animagus transformation, something that would potentially be very helpful in the upcoming war.

To add to this, they were also kept busy with the people who had recently arrived at Hogwarts. As Draco had been there on the day that most had arrived and he and Ron had been the ones to show them their new accommodation, everyone seemed to be looking to him for help with even the smallest of issues and he had become a kind of leader to them. Strangely enough, he didn't really mind, and actually rather enjoyed the time he got to spend with the children of the families, all of whom seemed to idolise him for some unknown reason. Harry had to admit though, Draco was good with them, surprisingly so.

"At least we have the nights to ourselves," Draco said, running his fingers through Harry's hair with a sigh.

"I was thinking about that," Harry said, moving off Draco and rolling onto his side beside him. "Why don't you just move all your things up here? You're never in your room anyway and it'll free up some more space, Merlin knows we need it! There's plenty of room in here for your things as well as mine."

Draco studied his face for a moment, thinking how adorable Harry looked when he was nervous, then smiled brightly at him, saying, "I think that's the best idea you've had in a long time Mr Potter," he said, leaning forward and placing his lips on Harry's.

"I always have good ideas," Harry retorted, puling Draco on top of him and wrapping his arms around him, crushing their lips together. He loved the feel of being pressed up against Draco, like they fit together perfectly, made for each other. Draco's hand was cupping his jaw, his index finger tracing lazy patterns that made Harry shiver beneath him. His lips moved from Harry's to his neck then up to his earlobe, giving it a gentle nip before laving it, something he knew was always guaranteed to get Harry hot under the collar. His hands roamed over familiar territory, grinning as he made Harry's breath hitch as he hit the spots he knew would get a response. It was only when those hands reached Harry's trousers that he knew he had to stop the blond. "As much as it pains me to do this, and believe me, it _does_ pain me, we really have to go to the meeting, you know we do."

"Darling, I know you're the brains and I'm the beauty, but really, sometimes we could do without your good sense," Draco groused, allowing himself to be pushed off the brunet.

"Be that as it may, you know we'd be lost without it," Harry returned, getting off the bed and pulling Draco up with him. Sometimes, he really hated being the sensible one.

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

The meeting was very much the same as all the others had been that week. They discussed the newest wards that were being placed around the castle and grounds, and outlined the training programme for the next week. A few of the Order members updated everyone on the latest movements of the Death Eaters; reports were patchy at best, with Severus no longer being able to spy, but Harry had to admit, he would rather it this way; he'd never seen his father so at ease now that the burden of leading a double life had been lifted from his shoulders. The man wasn't exactly full of the joys of spring, but there was a definite change in him.

He was currently sat next to Ginny; they hadn't informed anyone else of their relationship as of yet, but they weren't exactly keeping it a secret anymore. They weren't about to start holding hands or stealing kisses in public, but the very fact that they were sat next to each other and that Severus kept leaning over to whisper to her spoke volumes. Molly Weasley, however, looked highly unimpressed. She had been watching the two throughout the meeting and had become tenser by the minute. If she had truly looked and been able to see past her own anger at the situation, she would have seen the looks that passed between them and the subtle touches that signalled the extent of their feelings. All she could think was that her one and only daughter was making the biggest mistake of her life with a very dangerous man.

"Very well then everyone, I think that concludes this meeting for today, thank you all very much for your time," Dumbledore said, dismissing them all, most of whom were only too glad to finally go, having had quite enough of meetings for one week, necessary though they were.

"If that had gone on for one more minute, I think I might have had to have jumped out of the window," Ginny grumbled as she and Severus waited for the others to file out. His injuries still meant that he moved rather slowly and so it was always best for them to wait until most people had gone before they made their way back down to the dungeons. "How are you feeling? No queasiness this time?" she asked.

"No, I'm fine. There was a little dizziness earlier but it subsided quickly enough. Just as long as I take the stairs slowly I'll be ok."

"I'll make sure of it," she told him with a smile, not noticing her mother standing behind her.

"What do you think you're playing at Ginny?" she asked. "How long do you think you can go on with this farce?"

Ginny turned around to face her mother, trying very hard to keep her voice level when she asked, "What are you talking about?"

"This," Molly said vehemently, gesturing to the two of them. "It's…it's a joke, you can't expect anyone to take this seriously!"

"Well obviously _you_ have or you wouldn't be so wound up about the whole thing," Ginny shot back. "I'm sorry Mum, but this is the way things are, I love Severus and we _are_ together and nothing you say or do is going to change that."

"Do you _really _think this is going to last? The man is twenty years older than you for Merlin's sake! He's an ex-Death Eater with a more than questionable past! He's told you everything he's done has he? Told you all the sordid little things he and the others used to get up to?"

"As a matter of fact – " Ginny began, but was immediately cut off by her mother.

"I bet you don't even know the half of it. I'm sure if you did you wouldn't be so quick to declare your undying love for him! The man is a murderer, he's killed people, tortured, raped them! He's done the worst kind of things imaginable and although he 'turned himself around'," she said, as though she highly doubted it, "he still did it! It was still in him to do those things and you can't tell me a person changes that much."

Ginny took a deep breath and tried to steady herself, feeling the anger rise in her. "Actually Mother," she said coldly, "I knew all those things about Severus before you so kindly informed me of them. However, I'm not so sure Harry did, so well done for making sure he's fully informed."

At that Molly spun around and saw Harry staring at her with horror in his eyes, mingled with pain and anxiety. "Oh Harry I'm so sorry, I didn't – " she started, but got no further as Harry turned and fled from the room, followed closely by Draco.

"How could you?" Ginny asked, her voice barely above her whisper in her attempt to contain her anger. "How could you say all those things in front of Harry? You know nothing!" she said forcefully, devastated at how her mother had behaved. "Severus told me everything about his past, as I told him about mine. I know what he's done and I can accept it because believe it or not, that's what people do when they love each other, they accept the good _and_ the bad and I'm prepared to do that.

"I can't believe how narrow-minded and blind you are! Yes, he _has_ done terrible things in the past, things he's ashamed of and would do anything to change, but he's done so much good as well! He risked his life time and time again spying for the Light and very nearly died the last time! I don't know how you have the audacity to stand there and say those things to us. I can barely even look at you right now," she said, shaking with anger. "I'm going to say this once, and I expect you to listen because I'm not going to say it again – Severus and I are together, and we intend to remain that way. You will either accept this fact and our relationship…" here she paused, just to make sure she actually wanted to say what was in her head, "or you and I are finished," she said, somewhat gratified at the look of shock that crossed her mother's face.

She turned round to face Severus, regret and apology in her eyes. "Let's go," she said softly, knowing a very long conversation was ahead of them.

**xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx**


	25. Family

It was three in the morning and Severus was nowhere near sleep

It was three in the morning and Severus was nowhere near sleep. He was frustrated and wound up, worried about the situation he was now in. He looked down at the sleeping red-head in his arms, who had only just fallen asleep herself, being just as wound up and upset as he was. It had taken him forever to calm her down and convince her that everything would work out eventually. She had been so distressed by her mother's behaviour, hurt and angered that she would say such things and hold so steadfastly onto her prejudices.

As soon as they had arrived back in Severus' quarters Ginny had begun to apologise profusely to him, appalled at the situation and worried past herself about Harry and what would now happen between them. Severus had had to grab her and kiss her firmly to finally make her stop, pulling her into the bedroom and continuing to kiss her until he was sure she had relaxed sufficiently enough to be able to be allowed to speak again. After that, she had cuddled up to him, still muttering the odd comment about her mother and how she was never going to speak to the woman ever again, until she finally fell asleep, wrapped tightly in his arms.

He placed a kiss on the top of her head and tightened his hold on her, loving the feeling of having her so close. He was as angry as she was, but he wasn't about to start bad-mouthing her mother to her, even though Ginny herself had said some pretty vehement things. He had known how difficult the whole thing would be and that Ginny's family would have trouble accepting him, but he was hoping that given time, after they had seen the two of them together and that it was real, that they would relent and finally give their blessing. He was under the impression that he got on fairly well with the Weasley matriarch; she had always been pleasant enough in the Order meetings and he had always treated her with a good degree of respect, but apparently her opinion of him was no higher than any other Death Eater, something he was struggling to come to terms with.

He was also highly concerned about Harry and how things would now be with him. When they had returned to his rooms, he had been unsure whether or not he should go and look for Harry, but had eventually decided against it, knowing that Ginny needed him and that he would probably not be welcome with his son at that moment, at least Draco would be with him to offer any support that was needed. He knew he would have to go and talk to him sooner rather than later, he just hoped the boy would understand. He knew that Harry knew there were things in his past that he wasn't proud of, he had just never heard the full extent of it before.

"Severus?" Ginny said groggily, shifting slightly in his arms.

"I'm here," he said, leaning over to kiss her on the cheek. "You should go back to sleep, it's been a long day," he told her, gently tracing patterns on her shoulder.

"I'll sleep when you sleep," she replied, snuggling deeper into his hold. "I'm not hurting you am I?"

"I wouldn't care if you were."

She smiled, an alien feeling of contentment washing over her. "Why can't we just stay here forever? Just forget about everything and everyone and pretend that nothing else exists, I like that plan a lot."

"As do I. Unfortunately we both know that will never happen; we're doomed never to have a peaceful life."

"We might, one day. Sadly that day is nowhere near now. I'm so sorry about the things my mother said, I just couldn't bel – "

He placed a finger over her lips and said, "As much as I love you, if you apologise once more for this afternoon's events I may just have to hand you over to Voldemort and let him do what he wishes with you."

"Ha bloody ha," she murmured, knowing that she _should_ stop thinking about it, but she was just so wound up about her mother and all the things she'd said that she couldn't help but try and make amends for it. She knew he was feeling just as frustrated about the situation as she was, he just refused to show it. "I'm serious though, it'll be a long time before I talk to that woman again, what she did was unforgivable."

Although Severus made no attempt to agree, he certainly didn't argue.

**xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx**

"You didn't sleep much last night," Draco commented, as he and Harry dressed the next morning. He had lain awake for a good portion of the night listening to Harry shift around in the bed, restless and evading sleep.

"I know, I suppose I was just thinking too much about things," Harry replied, pulling his sweater over his head. "I'm sorry if I kept you awake."

"Hey don't worry about it," Draco said softly, moving behind the brunet and wrapping his arms around him, "I know you had a lot on your mind last night, it's part of the job description to lie awake and worry with you," he said with a laugh, resting his chin on Harry's shoulder.

"So now I'm a job am I?" Harry asked teasingly, cutting off whatever smutty remark Draco had in reply, saying, "I was just thinking about Dad and what Molly said to him. I knew he'd done terrible things as a Death Eater; I'd have to be stupid to think otherwise, but…I don't know, to hear it the way she said it just made it all the more real I suppose. I've never seen Ginny look so angry."

"Mm, I think it'll be a long time before that relationship is repaired, it really was a bad move if she thought it would break those two up. I know they're all having a hard time adjusting to it, but that really was a step too far."

Harry nodded, agreeing that of all the actions Molly could have taken, _that_ was probably the worst of them, it would only serve to push the two of them closer together. "Well, whatever I may feel about it, that's all going to have to be pushed aside today – Blaise's mother is coming to talk about getting the Fianna involved and I wouldn't want her to think there was any tension between us. I've really been looking forward to meeting her and I really don't want that spoilt," he said, turning round in Draco's arms to face him.

"One thing at a time love, one thing at a time."

**xXxXxXxXxXx**

"Very good everyone, I think we're entering the final stages of your tuition," said McGonagall later that morning as she continued her teaching of the Animagus transformation. "The next session will be the full and final transformation, so practise as much as possible. Alright, I'll see you all in a few days," she said, giving them a nod of dismissal.

"Something wrong Drake?" Ginny asked the blond as they left, noticing he was awkwardly rotating his right shoulder, pulling a face as he did so.

"Something residual from the spell I think, just a little ache. Luckily, I have my own personal masseuse to attend to my every ache and pain," he said, grinning over at Harry.

"Dream on darling," Harry returned from behind them, catching the tail end of the conversation as he was talking to Ron.

Draco rolled his eyes in response and shared a chuckle with Ginny as they continued to make their way back to Gryffindor, tired and weary but happy to be in each other's company for once, the current situation so often necessitating that they were assigned to different jobs, getting to see very little of each other. These rare moments of 'togetherness' were ones that everyone enjoyed and valued.

"Draco!" came an excited little voice as they entered the Gryffindor common room, a blur of colour almost knocking Draco over as a little blond-haired boy careered into Draco's stomach.

"Hey Bobby," Draco laughed, picking up the little boy and positioning him on his hip, "getting into trouble as usual?" he asked with a smile.

"Nuh uh," the boy protested with a violent head shake, "I've been playing on the toy broom you gave me and I got it to go higher than it's ever been before!" he recounted excitedly, his little eyes shining with happiness.

"You'll be a top flyer in no time, just like Harry here," Draco told him, indicating the smiling brunet to his left.

"Will you come and watch me?" the little boy asked hopefully.

"Of course I will, just not right now because we all have a lot to do at the moment, but I'll definitely come and see later tonight, promise."

Bobby looked hesitant for a moment then looked up into the sincere pair of eyes staring down at him and grinned. "Ok," he nodded, then shifted down from Draco's hold. "I know you don't break your promises," he said seriously before running off and joining a group of other children on the other side of the room, grinning from ear to ear.

Draco watched him with a smile, one that intensified as a pair of arms snaked round his waist and voice whispered in his ear, saying, "You know, there's nothing more attractive than a man who's good with children, and that was just downright adorable."

"Nice to know I meet with your approval," Draco returned with a smirk.

"You always do."

"Ahem," said Ron pointedly, his face a picture of amusement, "when you two have quite finished this sickening display of sentimentality, I do believe you're going to be late to meet with Blaise's mother."

"Shit!"

**xXxXxXxXxXx**

After realising that they were indeed in serious danger of being late for their meeting, Harry and Draco said hurried goodbyes and rushed off to Dumbledore's office where Blaise's mother was set to arrive. They made their apologies, sitting down and accepting the tea that was offered to them. Blaise shot them a grin, misunderstanding the reason for their tardiness, but finding amusement in it nonetheless. Severus was stood at the far end of the office, tense and on edge, afraid to look his son in the eye for fear of what he might see looking back at him. The two had still to talk after Molly's outburst and both were dreading the moment when it had to happen. Nevertheless, Harry still wished the man would look at him, if only to assure him that things would be ok between them.

"Relax Harry, everything's going to fine," Draco whispered at his side, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. The brunet gave him a slightly watery smile in return and resumed staring at the fireplace. He supposed the woman was being 'fashionably late', but he still wished she would hurry up and arrive; he'd been thinking about the meeting ever since Dumbledore had suggested it and now he just wanted it to happen. He nearly jumped out of his skin when bright green flames ignited in the fireplace, followed immediately by the arrival of a tall dark-haired woman.

"Nyx, how lovely to see you," said Dumbledore, moving to shake her hand and welcome her.

"Thank you headmaster, I apologise for being late, I was caught up with a spot of business that unfortunately required my undivided attention. Blaise, you're looking well," she said warmly, embracing her son as he stood to greet her. Harry watched the interaction, nerves rising within him. The woman looked remarkably similar to the woman in the picture his father had shown him many months ago when he had first discovered the truth about his heritage. "Severus why on earth are you skulking in the corner?" she asked, turning her dark eyes on the Potions Master. "Do I not warrant a hello?"

"As difficult as ever I see Nyx," he said with a raised eyebrow, moving forward and gently embracing his former sister-in-law.

"You wouldn't have me any other way," she returned easily. "And this must be my long-lost nephew," she continued, finally turning to address Harry. "Very pleased to meet you, Nyx Zabini," she said, extending her hand, which Harry took with some uncertainty. "Don't look so worried Harry, I'm on your side, I promise," she teased, followed by a wink which threw Harry completely. Nyx Zabini just didn't strike him as the type of woman who winked. "And Draco, looking as dashing as ever," she said, pulling the blond into a hug, something which looked rather familiar territory for the both of them.

"Nyx, you're looking well," Draco returned, slipping easily into the role of charming Pureblood, trained to perfection in social etiquette, "it's so nice to see you again."

"Stop sucking up to my mother Drake and let her sit down," Blaise said with a smirk, offering his mother his seat, positioning himself beside it, throwing a quick grin across to Harry as they all resumed their seats once more.

"We're so pleased you could join us today Nyx," Dumbledore began, positioning his spectacles on the end of his nose and peering through them at the striking woman before him, "you must of course be aware of the current situation and we were hoping we could prevail upon you to use your links with the Fianna," he said, for once coming straight to the point.

"Well I see no reason not to, given, as you say, our current situation. It may take a little while but I will set the wheels in motion," she replied, folding her hands in her lap. "I would expect them to be receptive, they are after all protectors of our kind."

"That doesn't mean they can't be stubborn when they want to be," Severus muttered.

"True," she conceded, "but this is rather too important an issue to be stubborn about. I'm hopeful that we will have their full support under these circumstances. Either way I will begin talks with them as soon as possible, but I _will_ need all the facts to persuade them that our cause is worthy of their support."

"Sanctimonious hypocrites," Severus spat bitterly. "Who are they to choose who to help and who not to? They're supposed to stand against all evil, not just the kind they pick and choose! I can just see the Elders convening now, sending out more proclamations on the fate of mere mortals!"

"Severus, I would ask you to please not let your own experiences with the Circle cloud your judgement. I know they made things difficult for you…regarding Harry…but they are, to all intents and purposes, one of the most powerful weapons we possess." Severus merely rolled his eyes and retreated back into silence, folding his arms and leaning against the wall, watching the others. "We would be grateful if you could make contact as soon as possible Nyx, unfortunately this is a situation that requires some urgency."

"Sadly I am aware of that fact Albus and I promise I will do all I can. For now however, I would be very grateful if you would allow me to spend some time with my son and nephew, we have some catching up to do."

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

"Don't worry Sev, they'll just be talking a few things through, it's the first time he's met Nyx after all," Draco said, as he and Severus sat in the latter's quarters, Harry having left them an hour ago to talk with his aunt and cousin.

"I just worry about what she might be saying," Severus replied. "And don't call me 'Sev'," he said through gritted teeth.

"I'm sure you allow Ginny to get away with it," the blond returned with a smirk.

"Yes, well, Ginny can offer far more pleasant compensations than you can."

"Ugh, spare me," Draco said with a grimace, one that was only half meant. "Anyway, you know how fond Nyx is of you, she'll hardly be deforming your character to him. Just relax a little, he only wants to spend some time with his aunt, maybe find out a little about his mother, you can't begrudge him that."

"I don't begrudge him anything," Severus replied emphatically, "I just…I suppose I just can't stop worrying about what he's thinking after Molly Weasley's outburst yesterday. What's he said to you?"

Draco sighed, unwilling to betray the confidence Harry had in him, but also unable to see the man before him so wretched and worried. "He's confused Severus, he doesn't know how he feels. He still loves you, he always knew there were things in your past that would trouble both of you, but he's not sure how to deal with it. You know what he's like though, just give it time and he'll let you know how he's feeling, he'll work it through."

"I just wish he'd come and talk to me, I can't stand waiting," the Potions Master sighed. At that point the door opened and Ginny walked, shedding her outer robe and flinging it on a nearby work surface, smiling when she saw the blond sat in conversation with Severus.

"Hi Drake, Sev," she said, placing a kiss on the latter's cheek, while the blond smirked uncontrollably at his godfather, receiving a reproachful glare which he chose to ignore. "I'm shattered," she declared, slumping down into the sofa next to her partner and moving her neck from side to side, trying to ease the tension from it. "We've been on our feet all day with the kids and then Remus decides this afternoon would be a good time for a Defence session! I give up," she sighed, resting her head on Severus' shoulder, feeling comfortable enough in Draco's presence to do so.

"Poor hard done by little girl," Draco returned with a mock pout, neatly ducking the cushion that Ginny sent his way. "Temper Gin, stress isn't good for you! Anyway, I'm going back to the tower to wait for Harry, don't worry, I'll try and get him to come and talk to you, I'm sure he'll want to anyway. Gin, try and get him to relax a bit," he said with a wink as he strolled out of his godfather's quarters.

Ginny smiled and turned to her partner, asking, "You've been getting yourself worked up again then?"

"No more than usual," Severus replied, pulling her closer to him. "You've had a difficult day?" he asked.

"No more than usual," she said with a laugh, sending his own words back at him. "Better for seeing you though, you have no idea how much of a relief it is to be able to come back here at the end of the day without having to worry about being found out," she said with a smile. "You know," she began with a smirk, inching closer, "earlier I was thinking back to the time we went to the Parkinson's Yule Ball, do you remember?"

"Of course, but why do you bring it up?" he asked.

"Well," she continued, her expression becoming more 'coy' by the second, "while you were away socialising, I went to refill my drink and there were a couple of men talking to each other nearby…they were talking about you," he raised his eyebrow but said nothing, curious to see where this was leading, "they said that you had…something of a reputation when it came to women…that you could make them beg…make them scream…and…I was kind of hoping that you'd be willing to help me prove them right," she finished with a self-satisfied look in her eyes, her right hand already beginning to undo the buttons of her robes.

He smirked, watching her hand as it travelled further, revealing bare skin, never one to wear much under her robes. Merlin but she drove him crazy; he could barely remember what life before her was like. "I wouldn't be adverse to being part of this experiment," he said in low, rich tones.

"I was hoping you'd say that," she replied, slipping her robes off, leaving her in nothing but her underwear. With a faux-demure smile, she grabbed his collar and pulled him down on top of her, arching her body up to meet his in a style that he could only describe as wanton. "You'd better make me scream Professor, your reputation's at stake."

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

"Harry? Is that you?" came Draco's voice through the darkness as Harry tried to make his way across the bedroom without making too much noise.

"Yeah it's me, sorry if I woke you love," he said apologetically as he slid into the bed next to the blond. "Things with Nyx and Blaise ran over a little longer than I thought they would, I really didn't think I'd be gone this long."

"I take it you three had a lot to talk about then?" Draco asked, winding himself around his lover, relishing in the familiar contact.

"Mm," Harry replied, pulling the blond in closely to him. "She's…an interesting woman, she had lots of stories about my mother. It was definitely one of the more interesting nights of my life. Sorry I was gone so long, I missed you," he said, placing a kiss on the temple underneath his chin.

"You complete cheeseball," Draco snorted, earning a laugh from Harry in response, "you're away from me a couple of hours and you miss me? I wonder if you get all your lines from Mills and Boone!"

"Last time I try to be romantic!" Harry said in mock indignation, pretending to shove Draco away from him, the blond latching on tighter in response, slipping a hand underneath the shirt Harry was wearing. The brunet gasped as a cold hand met his skin, sending sensations all over his body. "Drake…" he breathed, hardly daring to believe what he was about to do. "Will you….will you bond with me?"

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**


End file.
